


Chantey

by wrongnote



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Mutual Pining, it's a little mermaid au if you squint, mermaid au, merman!al, merman!ed, more tags to come, they're just vibing okay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25455655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrongnote/pseuds/wrongnote
Summary: Her eyes were blue, like home. With one gaze he felt like he was swept into a warm embrace that smelt like summertime. Her eyes made him feel peace, something he hadn’t known for a long time.She was also a human, but nobody had to know that.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell
Comments: 85
Kudos: 91





	1. Blue

Her eyes were blue, like home. With one gaze he felt like he was swept into a warm embrace that smelt like summertime. Her eyes made him feel peace, something he hadn’t known for a long time.

She was also a human, but nobody had to know that. 

Ed was used to the stares by now, anyways. He had been fascinated by humans and their science since he was young, collecting whatever fell from the surface in hopes of discovering something new about their culture. Al wasn’t as obvious about it as him, but Ed could tell he was just as interested in the surface as he was.

It was hard for them to hide their hobbies though, being the princes of the kingdom and all. It was why Ed snuck out at night, hoping to catch a glance of the strange girl working on her metal machines, or playing with her… _creature_ outside. He couldn’t remember if it was called a dog or a frog, but he supposed it didn’t matter much anyways. 

The most important thing was, Ed wanted to know all about her, especially all those objects she always carried around. He’d like to think he was well-informed on human chemistry and physics, but he’d never seen anything about fake arms and legs. If his kingdom hadn’t been so close-minded and _annoying_ , maybe they could’ve adopted the same technology. It certainly would’ve been a help five years ago, after he had lost his arm to a harpoon.

He had been stupid, and had it not been for the girl, he would’ve given up on humans long ago because of that. It was his fault and he knew it. 

It was his ego and obsession that had almost gotten Al killed, and yet here he was, still pursuing it like the idiot he was. 

He swam closer to the rocks by the beach, keeping an eye out to ensure he wouldn’t be seen. His coronation was just around the corner, and he’d be damned if he got caught on one of his last nights of freedom. 

The girl was swimming, something she did often. Ed wasn’t sure what her obsession with doing laps in the water was—it couldn’t have been easy without fins—but it was a routine he had grown accustomed to. She would bring food down to the beach, work on her machines, and swim until the moon was high in the sky. He just couldn’t understand what was so appealing about swimming when she had the entire _world_ to explore on her legs. Humans were weird.

It should’ve been an ordinary night, but Ed was all too aware of how danger could strike when least expected. The human was already swimming out much further than she usually did—reasons unbeknownst to him—and the waves were rapidly picking up in intensity. He ground his teeth in frustration, wanting to yell at her for her carelessness. All merfolk knew not to swim near the surface during a storm; it was common sense. For a human, even a moderate storm could be deadly.

Ed remained perched behind his rock, not knowing what to do other than watch. The girl seemed smart, and hopefully she’d tune in to the changing air pressure and greying clouds before it was too late. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but the girl didn’t seem to even be considering turning back. If anything, her eyes had hardened and she only swam harder, fighting the waves as if they were an opponent that could be bested. The sea was ruthless, and it would swallow her alive with the way it was going. 

Ed steadied his grip, waves threatening to sweep him away if he wasn’t careful. Even with his tail, he still only had one arm. He wasn’t the talented swimmer he used to be, and trial and error had led him to know what waters he shouldn’t challenge. The sea was roaring and crashing around him, and he had to strain to even see the girl in the chaos. 

Thirty seconds had passed, and he still couldn’t see her. He grit his teeth and dove beneath the water without a second thought. Damn the rules and damn his promises; he wasn’t about to let this girl drown right in front of him. 

He swam towards her as fast as he could, using more force on his tail than necessary to propel himself forward. She was clearer to make out now, fighting to pull her head above the water. With every move she made to the surface, she was pushed down again, tumbling even further from the shore. 

When he was close enough, he didn’t hesitate to grab her arm, pulling her up to the surface so she could breathe. That would be enough, right? He spared a glance at her face and immediately noticed that her eyes were closed. _Why were her eyes closed?!_

He may have been making a stupid decision, but there really wasn’t room to argue with his inner _Hohenheim_ when this girl’s life was at stake. Screw getting discovered; leaving her to swim to shore on her own would be a death sentence, and Ed was no murderer.

He shifted his arm to support her and swam towards the beach, trying his best to keep the girl’s head above the water. Without his arm to steady himself, he was held hostage to the waves. They attacked him like he didn’t belong in their waters, and it took all his strength to move towards his destination. 

As soon as he neared the shore, the waves did the rest of the work. They pushed him and the girl onto the beach in an exhausted heap, leaving him completely vulnerable above the water. _Great._ He couldn’t decide which was worse: falling victim to the sea, or leaving himself stranded and exposed on a beach where he was unable to move. With a _human._

Screw it. Ed pulled himself closer to the girl, using his arm to balance himself on the sand. He’d never seen a human so close before, and he had to force himself to tear his eyes away from her legs and instead focus on her condition. He settled on his left side and moved the hair from his face, not used to it being so… heavy. Arm now free, he held it above her mouth to try and feel her breath. 

After moving his fingers as close as he could without touching her, he felt the slight ghost of a breath leave her lips. It was weak, but at least it meant she was still alive. For now, at least.

He faintly remembered coming across something while studying that mentioned humans drowning, and how to revive them. Something about blowing air back into their mouth? That sounded right. 

Ed pushed himself up with his arm so he could see her from above, and balanced long enough without it to tilt back her head and part open her lips. _Please don’t let her remember this…_

Sucking in a breath, he leaned until their lips were almost touching. Before he had the chance to make contact, her cerulean eyes shot open in surprise. He reeled back, almost falling over before steadying himself with his arm. Why couldn’t she have done that _before_ he had attempted to save her?

The girl immediately turned on her side and began coughing up water, eyes squeezed shut again as she purged herself of all the liquid she had swallowed. 

Was it too late to retreat? She was clearly not coherent enough to acknowledge him, and slipping away would most definitely be in his favor. He looked back at the sea, as turbulent as it had been when he’d escaped it. 

No turning back now, it seemed.

The girl finished hacking up seawater, shivering as she pulled herself up from the sand. Slowly, she turned back to face him, the fogginess in her eyes clearing as they widened in awe. 

Ed couldn’t do anything except stare back, waiting for her to do… _something._ He was losing his patience, and despite his own amazement with humans, being looked at like some _specimen_ was starting to get on his nerves. 

Her mouth opened slightly as she sucked in a breath. “You’re-”

“What made you think it was a good idea to go swimming in the middle of a _storm?!”_ he shouted over her, adjusting to the foreign sensation of speaking the human language. “You nearly died!” 

He was thankful he and Al had picked up on human speech at such a young age, because otherwise he would’ve had no idea how to communicate with her. As it was, he was sure he sounded strange, but the girl had to know what she had almost done. What if he hadn’t been there to save her? 

She didn’t seem bothered by his words. In fact, she seemed even more amazed. “You’re a… a _merman!”_ she squealed, leaning in closer until he felt his face heat up. 

“Really? What gave it away?” 

She ignored his words again and turned to look at his tail, golden scales shimmering under the light of the moon. 

“Hey, are you even listening?!” He flicked his fin at her, splashing water onto her face.

She frowned and swiped at her eyes. “Of course I am, but you can’t expect me to just pass over the fact that I’m looking at a _merman._ It’s just… incredible. My parents always used to tell me stories about merpeople, but I never imagined they would be _real.”_

Ed was finding it hard to stay annoyed with her, not when she smiled like _that._

“The merfolk tell stories about humans too, but they’re usually not very… positive.”

Her face softened as she looked back at him. “Well, I hope I can change that notion for you then.” She paused to pull a piece of seaweed out of her hair. “I haven’t done a great job at it so far, have I?”

Ed chuckled. “At least you’re not trying to kill me.” 

“I suppose that’s true,” she grinned. “Thank you for saving me, by the way. I really mean it.” She thrust her arm towards him with her hand open. “My name is Winry. Winry Rockbell.”

Ed stared at her hand, not knowing what she was intending to do with it. “Edward Elric.”

She looked down at her outstretched hand, then back to him. “You’re supposed to grab my hand and shake it. It’s a type of greeting.” 

Ed only looked at her in bemusement. What enjoyment did humans get out of shaking their hands together? Regardless, his hand was the only thing keeping him sitting up at the moment, and he wasn’t about to lose his balance for a _greeting._ Winry seemed to get the message, pulling her hand back to her side.

“You never answered my question, you know. About why you were swimming in that storm.”

Winry’s expression quickly shifted to something unreadable. “I thought I could handle it.”

Was she _serious?_

“Even I could hardly handle that! What made you think _you_ could?!” 

“I don’t know! I was being stupid, trying to prove to myself that I could push through it. I’ve been practicing my swimming for years, so this just seemed like another obstacle to overcome.” She scrunched up her face, staring a hole into the sand beneath her. “Clearly I was wrong.”

There was more to it, Ed could tell, but he wasn’t about to press her for details. Whatever her reasoning was, it seemed personal. 

Great, when he had thought it to be impossible, he had somehow made things even more awkward. The crash of the waves on the shore should’ve been comforting among the silence, but it only served to make Ed feel like he shouldn’t be where he was. 

The biting air cut at his scales like a dagger, and suddenly he was becoming all too aware of the dryness he definitely shouldn’t have been feeling. He needed to get back in the water. Soon.

Winry continued to sit beside him, glancing over to stare at his tail when she thought he wasn’t looking. How was he supposed to end the conversation? Just… leave? Ed had never been good at that sort of thing, and his lack of communication skills were beginning to taunt him. 

“I should-”

“Wait! One more thing.” Winry had scooted closer to him, and Ed couldn’t help but stare into her ocean blue eyes. “Why did you save me? I mean, you’re supposed to be a secret, right? You even stayed to talk.”

Ed was _not_ about to expose himself for human-watching, but that was precisely the only reason she had been saved. For decades, the merfolk have stayed distant from the shore, hiding and living in secrecy. Ed was sure that if he hadn’t had such a knack for getting into trouble, nobody would have saved Winry. Merfolk don’t save humans, it was as simple as that.

She didn’t have to know that, though. 

“I was there, and you were drowning. What else was I supposed to do, let you die?”

“I don’t know, maybe! Why were you there in the first place, anyways? You weren’t spying on me… were you?”

Shit. 

Ed felt his face heat up again, and quickly turned away. “What? Of course not. Why would you think that? You’re just some human, why would I _spy_ on you?!” 

A fit of giggles made him whip his head around. “Oh my God, you’re such a terrible liar!” She paused to laugh again, clutching her stomach. “I never would have imagined merpeople would be such… such dorks!” she laughed even harder, wiping her eyes.

If Ed could see himself, he was sure he’d be bright red. How could this girl see through him that easily? He was trying to be composed—maybe even have a cool and mysterious energy to him—but with every attempt he had failed. Great first impression, Ed.

Granted, her laughter sure was contagious, and soon he found himself chuckling alongside her. 

_“Fine,_ I come here every now and then, but it’s only because you’re the only human in the area! It’s just interesting to see how things are different up here, that’s all,” he said. “And besides, you always have those cool metal limbs with you. I’ve never seen anything like them before.” 

“Well, if you ever decide to pay me another visit, maybe I can show you a few.” She gestured to his missing arm. “I might even be able to make one that works underwater! I’ve never tried, but I love a challenge.” She paused. “If you’re… interested, that is.”

Another visit? A human was offering to meet with him—even craft him an arm—and wasn’t trying to kill him? In all his seventeen years, Ed had never thought he’d encounter a person that was kind and wasn’t some kind of threat. The stories his mother had told him about the humans were starting to make sense, and suddenly he wanted to know more and more. The artifacts he and Al had collected were nothing compared to the opportunities this could bring. 

There was always that shadow of doubt, though. The last time he had chased the sun, he had gotten burned. The ship he had forced Al to follow him to was full of nothing but evil beings who had tried to attack and capture them, and he had _promised_ he wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Al was the most important thing to him—he always would be—and Ed wouldn’t risk another disaster happening because he couldn’t keep his curiosity at bay. 

He had to go back home, he knew he did, but he couldn’t contain the giddiness that threatened to bubble out of him. This was the chance he had yearned for his entire life, and it was being given to him on a silver platter. 

“I’ll… I’ll think about it,” he stumbled out, not quite ready to commit to anything yet. 

“Sure. I’ll always be here, _guppy._ ”

 _“Guppy?_ I’ll have you know I’m _normal-sized_ for our kind— not that you’d know that. Maybe even above average, actually.” It wasn’t like she had another merperson to compare him to, after all. He could lie all he wanted and get away with it.

“Like I said before, you’re a terrible liar.” 

“And you’re weird! With those” —he struggled to remember the word— _“things_ on your feet!” 

She grinned again, in a way that made his insides turn to mush. “You mean toes?”

“Yeah. Those.” The dryness in his tail was beginning to get irritating, despite the fact that his fin was in the water, and he knew staying any longer would be a bad idea. “I should head back now. Just… don’t swim during a storm again, okay? I might not be there to save you next time.”

“I won’t. I promise.” Blue eyes gleamed, and it took everything within him to look away. “Thank you again, for saving me. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful to you.” 

“S’fine. You can always repay me with that arm you were talking about.” He felt his lips curl up, and he quickly turned back to the sea. Right. Get home first.

He started to push himself forward with his arm, forcing himself not to look back at the face he _knew_ was smirking at him. He knew he looked stupid, but what else was he supposed to do without legs? 

The sea had calmed substantially since he had last been in it, but luckily the current was enough to help him glide back into the water with ease. Once he was far enough to submerge himself and swim, he turned back to the shore. Winry was standing and waving her arm at him, a look of pure amazement on her face. 

Ed quickly turned back around and gave a short wave over his shoulder. 

He had a long trip back, and a lot of explaining to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a 100% self-indulgent fic, but i'm excited to continue it! apologies for cliches and such, this is just a fun little thing but i hope you enjoy!


	2. Gold

Winry sat in the sand for what could’ve been hours, looking to the horizon as the first specks of sunlight began to appear. Gold, just like _him._

The second he had turned from her she had dropped all facades, granting herself the opportunity to properly freak out. She surely couldn’t have been dreaming, or _dead,_ because she was sure no mythical figment of her imagination would have spoken to her like _that._

On first appearances, he was everything she had imagined from her parents’ storybooks. Brilliant gold eyes and long flowing hair of the same shade, with a tail that gleamed like jewels. Save the missing arm, he was the picturesque image of the merpeople she often fantasized about as a child.

And then he had opened his mouth. 

She wasn’t sure what she should’ve expected; perhaps for him to wax poetic with an aura of grace about him. Instead, he had yelled at her before she had even gotten a word out. 

Somehow, that was far better than the alternative. Something about him had seemed so painfully _human,_ despite not being one himself. He was brash and annoying and _real,_ and she already wanted to know more. 

What kind of place did he live? Did he have any family? Friends? She had no idea how the merpeople— _merfolk_ , as he had said— lived, but now that she knew they existed, they were as fascinating to her as automail. Almost.

Winry pushed herself up from the sand and swayed on her feet, suddenly hit with the realization that she had almost _died._ If it hadn’t been for Ed, she would have drowned and nobody would’ve known. 

She had been reckless and stupid, leaving herself entirely _helpless._ Since she was young she had dedicated her life to helping others, providing second chances to those that needed them. She didn’t want to feel useless like she had after her parents had died. 

If she had followed their path, submitting to the ocean’s merciless pull, her bright and gleaming dreams for the future wouldn’t have mattered. It would’ve all been for nothing.

She’d been incredibly lucky, and despite having given herself time to catch her breath, she still felt like she was living a dream. 

She really needed to pay back Ed.

Winry stumbled her way back to her beachfront home slash automail shop and slowly felt the adrenaline from earlier wear off. Her throat _burned_ with the taste of salt water, and once again her mind was pulled to thoughts of Ed. How he lived his life breathing that stuff, she’d never understand.

Her body moved on its own as she pulled off her swimsuit and rinsed herself in the shower, sand falling to the ground in clumps. With a few blinks she realized she’d been staring off into space as the warm water of the shower slowly turned cold. _Get a grip._

She dried herself off the best she could and changed into something more comfortable, shuffling into her bedroom. It was a complete and utter _mess,_ with screws and spare parts littering every spare surface, but she was far too tired to even think of cleaning it. That could wait for tomorrow, when she’d hopefully be more coherent.

Winry gracelessly collapsed into bed, letting thoughts of merpeople and metal drift her to sleep.

* * *

Ed had expected Al to be shocked at his story, chastising him for his decisions and reckless behavior. He had swam in circles all night thinking of how he was going to tell him, hoping he wouldn’t be too upset. 

Instead, his brother had only raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. Ed supposed the way he pulled Al into their secret cavern was enough of an indicator for him to know something was up, but the lack of reaction had honestly gotten him a bit disappointed. Was he really that predictable?

“It was bound to happen at some point, brother. You sneak out almost every night. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Al’s voice was calming; his mermish serving as a nice relief from the harsh sounds of human speech Ed had heard the night before.

“You mean you’re not mad?” 

“How could I be? I would’ve done the same thing. You saved her life, that was pretty noble of you.” There was something in Al’s expression that Ed didn’t like. He couldn’t be insinuating _that…_ could he?

“What’s with that look?” 

“You _like_ her, don’t you?” Al grinned, doing that face he always did when he was being an asshole. All at once, Ed regretted ever telling him about Winry.

“I do not!”

“There’s no point in denying it. You’ve always been a terrible liar, brother.” 

First Winry, now Al? Was he really _that_ awful? “What is it with everyone telling me I’m a terrible liar lately?”

“Did she say that too? I’ve _got_ to meet her now.”

He knew Al was teasing, but the phrase stuck with him. The entire reason he was hesitant to see Winry again was because of Al. If Ed could convince him to leave, though…

He settled on the sea floor, sand swirling around him as he landed. He stared up at the walls of the cavern, indented with rows upon rows of human artifacts the brothers had collected throughout their lives. Some were new and shiny metal, and others were rusted beyond years. They’d been enough to study for the last few years, but now, he wanted _more._

“I have an idea,” Ed said, voice laced with hesitation. 

Al raised an eyebrow, swimming to sit beside his brother. “What kind of idea?”

“Do you remember that story we heard? About the human form?” 

Al’s expression shifted, eyes darkening. “Ed…”

“Just hear me out! What if it’s real, and we could actually use it? Now that I know someone on the surface who could help us, we wouldn’t be completely alone.” 

It was a reach, but he was willing to try it. If it meant he could escape the life he’d been shackled to, he’d give up his tail for legs in a heartbeat. Beyond that, though, he wanted nothing more than for Al to live the life he wanted. One where he wouldn’t be treated as if he were too fragile to move.

After their mother, the queen, had died, things had been hard on everyone. Their father—as if he even counted as one—had made strict rules regarding the kingdom, setting boundaries to ensure no one could enter, and no one could leave. It was even harder on Al, considering his frail body and susceptibility to getting ill. He was hardly allowed to leave the palace, let alone go any further. 

Ed couldn’t remember the last time he had spoken one-on-one with his father. He was always too “busy” tending to the kingdom— the bastard. With his coronation rapidly approaching, Ed would soon be the new king, despite wanting nothing less. If it meant he would turn out anything like his father, he didn’t want it. He’d turn down any power in the sea if it meant he wouldn’t be there for his brother. He didn’t know how to run a kingdom, and he sure as hell didn’t want to stay long enough to find out. 

If he could leave before his coronation, with Al, they could start a new life. It wouldn’t be like last time. Ed had grown enough to know that not all humans could be trusted. At least, he hoped he had. 

Winry wasn’t like the man who had shot a harpoon at him with cold, empty eyes. Hers were bright and full of life; something he had never seen from a human before. 

The revelation hit him like a heavy current, and he realized he was absolutely certain about his view of the girl. He trusted her.

Al scrunched up his face, crossing his arms, and Ed was drawn back to the present. “Won’t someone come after us? It’d be pretty obvious if the two princes went missing out of nowhere.” 

“Sure, but they’ll almost definitely search the seas before the land. Just think of all the merfolk who’ve gone missing. Don’t you think it could be because they transformed on the surface and never came back?” 

“I suppose so, but in the chances it doesn’t work, how do you think they’ll respond to us when we return? They’ll lock us up!” 

“It’s simple. I leave at daybreak, and if I don’t return by nightfall, you sneak out to join me. You can cover for me during the day, and if it doesn’t work, I can return like nothing happened!” Ed said, not even trying to hide the confidence in his voice. He _knew_ it would work. It had to.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt again. I trust you brother, I always will, but it’s not worth it if something like last time happens again.” 

He felt his stomach clench at how easily Al declared his trust. Ed had nearly gotten them both killed the last time Al had trusted him, and he still never held a grudge. Al had always been too kind and forgiving to him, but for once, Ed was grateful for his trust. He wouldn’t let him down this time, no matter what.

“It’ll work, Al. I promise”

Al didn’t hesitate as he met his brother’s fiery gaze, eyes of molten gold shining with determination. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

* * *

The palace was as grand as ever, shimmering like gold among the reefs it was constructed around. There was no privacy, only open entryways and halls that allowed merfolk to swim in and out as they pleased.

Ed hated it.

As open as it was, it had always felt stifling and controlling; no pearl out of place. It was why he had his cavern in the first place. He trusted no one around his and Al’s collection of human artifacts, and he was lucky his father was too negligent to ever find it. 

He felt even worse when he was expected to act like a prince. There were always expectations to be upheld, and Al was far better at acting refined than he was. He wanted to explore and learn, but more often than not he was bound to boring meetings and public appearances. At least Ed had had the freedom to design his own crown, (though everyone regarded it as _gaudy,_ despite its badass black shells and chains).

After forming his plan with Alphonse, his crown felt heavier than it ever had. How could he justify running away from his responsibilities when all of his reasonings were selfish? Though Hohenheim would continue to be king in Ed’s absence, who would take the throne after him?

Disregarding royal concerns, Ed knew he wouldn’t regret leaving his father behind. As a prince, he had never had the chance to form ordinary relationships with others. His loyalties lied with his brother and his brother alone. He doubted Hohenheim would even miss their presence. 

The guilt pooling in his gut was unwanted and unwarranted, because Ed _knew_ he was making the right decision. He hoped that once he began a new life with Al on the surface, all his hesitations would wash away like sea foam. Dwelling on his pointless thoughts would do nothing but worry Al, which was _not_ going to happen.

Ed would be leaving the next morning, and he could hardly stay focused. He and Al were attending their final royal banquet, and Ed was practically buzzing with anticipation. (Not for the banquet itself, of course, because those were horribly boring and dull.)

It took everything within him to not leave early, and Ed found himself lost in thought as he sat on his throne, chin resting on his fist. The hall was filled with important figures and merfolk he could hardly remember the names of. Hohenheim was absent, as usual.

Despite not having many friends, there were a handful of merfolk Ed knew he would miss upon leaving. The steward, Izumi, had practically raised him and Al since they were young. She had taught them how to navigate the sea and catch their own food, going as far as to leave them in open waters to survive on their own for an entire month. She seldom talked to the brothers anymore—not after their close encounter with humans—so Ed hoped she wouldn’t be too torn up after their disappearance. 

There was also Sheska, his attendant. She knew more about humans than any merperson in the kingdom, and could remember the most minuscule of details. She’d often pass on stories and tales she’d heard, and identified many of the items he and Al collected. Granted, some of the names she gave the items seemed a bit… _odd_ … but Ed didn’t know nearly enough about the surface to challenge her. If he ever returned to the sea, she’d be the first one he’d tell about everything he’d discovered. 

The courtier, Kimblee, Ed would _not_ be missing. Disregarding his close relationship with Hohenheim, the man seemed determined to make his life absolutely miserable at any chance. He’d often catch Ed right before sneaking out, reporting him to his father as if that would change anything. His ideas for the kingdom and its citizens were downright abhorrent, and Ed wondered what his father could possibly see in the merman to want to keep him around.

Ed was quickly drawn from his thoughts as he realized he was being spoken to. _Speak of the devil._

“You look distracted, Your Highness. Is everything alright?” Kimblee’s voice harshly contrasted with the melodic tones of mermish, and he had to force himself to not flinch away. 

“I’m fine, just tired,” he drawled, not bothering to maintain appearances.

Kimblee’s lips curled up in amusement. “I suppose these banquets do get tiresome after awhile, yes? It’s a shame your father couldn’t make it, I’m sure he could’ve made things more exciting with that trident of his.”

Ah yes, the _trident._ Kimblee was downright fascinated by the thing, hardly making an effort to mask his enticement. It was customary for the king to wield it, though Hohenheim seemed to only use it for trivial things like keeping ships from passing over their kingdom. It allowed its user to control the seas, and if someone like Kimblee were to get their hands on that sort of power, Ed had no idea what would occur. He tried not to shiver at the thought.

“I doubt it.” Ed met Al’s sympathetic gaze from across the hall, and decided he was tired of playing prince. “I think I’m going to head to sleep now. Tell Sheska she needn’t bother preparing my chamber, would you?” 

“Of course, Your Highness.” Kimblee gave a short bow and swam away, milky white tail trailing behind him. _Creepy._

Ed was quick to grab Al’s arm and yank him from the room, pulling him into their shared chamber.

“You remember the plan, right?”

Al rolled his eyes. “Of course. You leave at daybreak to meet your human girlfriend, I tell everyone you’re out on one of your scavenging trips, and then I meet you when everyone’s asleep.”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Ed swung down his arm, a trail of bubbles following behind it. 

“Sure, and I’m not Alphonse Elric. Anyways, you need to stop stressing about this, brother. You said it would be fine, so it will be. We need to trust each other on this.”

Al was right, as usual.

“Yeah yeah, I’m just tired of waiting. You sure you’ll be alright swimming there on your own?”

“I’ll be _fine_ , brother. Just get a good night’s sleep… and enjoy your tail while you still have it,” he grinned, swimming away to his side of the room.

_Shit._ He’d have _legs_ soon. Real _human_ legs. The fact that it could even be possible seemed like a dream, but Sheska had been _so_ certain with her story. 

Ed let himself fall onto his clam bed and lifted his tail in front of his face, letting his eyes trail over all the markings and scars it bore. 

Soon it would be transformed and he would start fresh, living a brand new life with Al that surpassed his wildest dreams. He’d live among humans, something his mother had fantasized about for years. 

He let his eyelids flutter shut, images of blue eyes consuming his every thought. 

Daybreak couldn’t come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter might seem a bit dull compared to the last, but i really needed to get exposition stuff out of the way ;-; i hope the obvious little mermaid refs and undersea kingdom lore was interesting enough, though! next chapter should be really fun!! i'm planning on updating every wednesday, but none of this is pre-written, so i can't make any promises. 
> 
> also, my friend marge made some awesome art for this fic! you can check it out [here](https://winrystan.tumblr.com/post/625011991687348224/chantey-chapter-1-wrongnote-fullmetal)
> 
> thanks for reading! <3


	3. Green

From the moment she had adjusted her swimming schedule, Winry should’ve known it wouldn’t have gone as planned. Nothing in her life was that simple, and for her, even a slight change in routine could cause a chain reaction.

Because of the storms that commonly appeared at night, she had taken to swimming in the morning instead. She figured it would double as practice and exercise, and be a good start to her day. That had been a vast understatement on her part. 

Having grown tired of freestyle laps, she was taking a break to watch the sunrise, kicking her legs absentmindedly to stay afloat. It painted the horizon in shades of orange and yellow, melting in with the blue sky like molten glass. Beyond its beaches and vast fields, Resembool was known for its sunrises and sunsets, and this one had hardly disappointed. 

Just as she had turned to return to shore, a voice broke through the silence, inches from the back of her head.

“Hey.”

Without thinking, she let out a shriek and splashed the perpetrator across the face. It was Ed, because of _course_ it was, and he was wearing a goofy grin on his face as if he hadn’t nearly given her a heart attack.

“You could at least give me a warning, you jerk!” she yelled, voice an octave higher than usual. 

He grinned wider, wiping his bangs from his face. “Where’s the fun in that?” 

She huffed, splashing him again. “What are you doing here anyways?” She inwardly winced at her question as soon as it left her mouth. 

“For starters, I live here.”

Right, and he had just proven her point. She ignored him and opted for a deadpan expression, hoping he’d get along with the real reason he was swimming _right behind her._

“Fine… there’s something I need your help with. You still owe me for saving you, you know.”

She raised an eyebrow. This didn’t have something to do with the automail arm, did it? “Sure, but if we’re going to be making deals, I’d rather be on land than treading water.” 

Ed looked down at her legs as if he had forgotten she had any, and shrugged with his single arm. 

“Alright then, but don’t take all day getting there!” He dove head first beneath the water before she had a chance to answer, tail splashing her on the way down. 

She quickly ducked beneath the water to follow him, squinting through the water to the best of her abilities. From what she could see, he was _fast._ The last time she’d seen him he’d been washed ashore with her, incapable of moving around. Now that she was finally watching him swim, she couldn’t help but stare in awe at how gracefully he moved throughout the water. His body moved as an entire unit, with the waves seemingly working alongside him. She’d never seen anything like it, and it was _breathtaking._

As soon as Ed reached the shore, she saw him pull himself up onto one of the many large rocks that covered the beach. She quickly hurried to join him, straining to climb up so she sat beside him.

“Took you long enough.” He looked seconds away from breaking into laughter, and Winry had to force herself not to smack him on the shoulder. 

“Like that’s even fair!” She wiped at her eyes, trying to get rid of the stinging feeling the seawater gave them. “So what do you want me to do? I’ll be glad to help as long as it isn’t too crazy— I _do_ have a job, you know.”

For as confident and arrogant as he had looked before, Ed’s demeanor completely shifted into one of uncertainty. 

“Umm…” He absentmindedly tugged at his hair, looking the opposite direction. 

“Just spit it out!”

He flinched and turned to face her, eyes suddenly burning with resolve. “I want to be a human.”

He… _what?_

“How could I help you with _that?!_ How is that even _possible?”_

“Look, I know it sounds crazy-”

She cut him off, completely bewildered. “It _is_ crazy!” 

“But— I have good reason to believe it can be done.” His arm strayed to rub at the back of his neck. “There’s rumors that say merfolk can transform into humans if they’re on land for long enough, after their tail is completely dry. It’s a long shot, sure, but I need to try, and you’re the perfect person to help me get adjusted to land.”

“You mean you don’t know for sure? If that were possible, wouldn’t you all be trying it?”

He shook his head. “No. Merfolk spend their entire lives staying as far from humans as possible. They’re terrified to even approach them, let alone live among them. Even besides that, most aren’t willing to leave their homes and families behind.”

It seemed strange to her, but she could hardly judge their behavior. Humans were the same way, constantly stuck in their ways and refusing to accept change. Even if given the opportunity to explore something new and exciting, she wasn’t sure many would be willing to. With that admission, though, another question tugged at the back of her mind.

“Why do you want to be a human then? What makes you so different from everyone else?” 

“I’ve always been fascinated with the human world, ever since I was young. I guess I just… want to see what’s out there.” He stared ahead at the rolling hills of Resembool, a faint smile gracing his lips. “There’s not much left for me back home—besides my brother—so why not take the chance to start fresh?”

That was as good a reason as any, she supposed. She couldn’t imagine living her entire life in the sea, separated from the world and everything it had to offer. Without automail, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.

“What about your brother? Is he coming too?”

“Yep, later tonight. I thought I’d get a head start though, you know?” He looked down at his tail, hanging over the edge of the rock, and scowled. “It’s taking longer than I would’ve thought, though.”

If he’d have legs soon, then wouldn’t that mean…? _Shit._

“One second, let me grab something.” She hopped onto the beach and jogged over to her towel, hoping he wouldn’t notice the redness on her cheeks. 

After grabbing it and returning to where he was sitting, she threw it at his face in a heap. “Try and use this to dry off, and then wrap it around your waist, okay?”

“Wrap it- why?” Oh god, he was _clueless._

“You’ll need _some_ sort of decency before I can get you some clothes!”

He tilted his head, holding the towel out in front of him. “Clothes?”

Winry didn’t know whether to laugh or scream in frustration. “Yes! It’s what humans wear on our bodies. It helps protect our skin and cover up more… sensitive areas, so just do what I’m telling you!” 

“Okay, fine!” He began drying himself off with the towel, mumbling under his breath. _“Don’t have to act so weird about it…”_

After he had dried himself off and tied the towel around his waist, she could tell something had begun to happen. He let out a small gasp, and she curiously pressed for answers.

“What is it?”

“It feels really… dry. _Really_ dry.” He stared at his tail and Winry followed suit, looking fixedly as the scales seemed to morph into skin.

“Does it hurt?” she asked. As someone who worked in the medical field, the entire process seemed impossible to her, but then again, so had merpeople. 

“No, it just feels weird.” He stared with his mouth agape as his tail slowly split into two. “ _Holy shit,_ it’s actually working! It wasn’t just a story!” 

In a matter of seconds, all semblance of a tail was gone, and he had legs and feet just the same as any human. Ed’s face broke out in an enormous grin, and he slowly began to move his feet, wiggling his toes.

“Al is gonna freak!” 

Winry didn’t bother asking who Al was, assuming he was Ed’s brother, and instead smiled alongside him. Despite hardly knowing Ed, the pure joy radiating off of him was contagious, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen someone look so happy. 

He pulled in his legs and started to push himself up with his arm, wobbling as if it would help him keep his balance.

“Need help?”

He frowned, shooting her a glare. “I can do it on my own just fine!”

Winry stood for good measure, holding her arms out for what would inevitably happen. Why did he have to be so _stubborn?_

As expected, his wobbling legs gave way and he toppled over, right into her arms. 

“You sure you don’t need help?” she giggled, looking down at him as he turned a bright shade of red.

He huffed, doing a pouty face she was sure he wasn’t aware of. “Shut up.” 

That was his cue for “yes,” she assumed, so she pulled him up until he was standing and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

“One step at a time. Just move your leg forward and lean into it, following with the other. Copy what I do.” As an automail engineer, she was used to teaching patients how to walk again. Compared to them, Ed would hopefully be no trouble at all.

He did as she instructed, moving one shaking leg after another as she guided him down to the beach. 

“Ready to try on your own?”

“You bet I am!” 

Ed pulled away from her and took a hesitant step, followed by another. By the third, he was wobbling and flailing his arm around as if he were on a tightrope. As soon as he began to fall over, she caught him with ease, and once again he was scowling in her arms.

“I'll get it next time.” 

She rolled her eyes, propping him up like she had the first time. “Sure.”

He frowned but didn't protest, so they began the slow trek up the hill.

“This stuff feels funny.”

She looked over in amusement, catching him staring at the ground in wonder. “You mean the grass?” 

“Yeah. It's so… _green_.”

Winry shook her head and chuckled, pulling him ahead. If the grass was enough to get him excited, then it seemed her day would be full of his new “discoveries.” She mentally reminded herself to cancel her appointments for the day, because there was no way she’d be able to leave Ed to his own devices. 

As they climbed, Ed exhibited the behavior of an overexcited toddler who only _thought_ they were cool. He’d act composed when she was looking, only to return to his awed staring when she wasn’t paying attention. His enthusiasm rivaled hers when she had just discovered automail, and cancelling a day of work was worth it if it meant she’d get to see more. 

It had taken longer than she had anticipated for them to reach the house, as he’d stopped to look at nearly every flower and plant he hadn’t seen before. Even though he was lighter than normal because of his missing arm, lugging him up the hill had not been an easy task.

“This is it. I suppose you’ll have to stay here until you get your bearings. You’re lucky I have extra space,” she said.

She unlocked the door and led him inside, his infectious amazement only growing. The house was modest but spacious, with enough room for both living arrangements and her automail shop. 

“You live here alone?”

“Yep, it used to be me and Granny, but… she passed away not too long ago.” 

His face fell. “Oh, I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay, she was really old.” She waved him off, not wanting to shift the mood to one of discomfort. She’d accepted losing Granny months ago, and dwelling on the past would do nothing but fill her with melancholy. 

She sat him down at the kitchen table, the towel around his waist becoming even more prominent now that they were inside. Finding him clothes was priority, for both of their sakes. 

Luckily for Winry, he was about the same size as her, give or take a few inches. No _way_ was she going to mention that that meant he was below average height. Something told her he would not react well to being called short, now that he couldn’t use his tail as a buffer.

Deciding he’d be fine alone for a few minutes, she left to grab a shirt and a pair of her work pants, as well as a pair of boxers that were tucked in with the medical gowns.

When she returned, Ed was all but sitting on the table, staring at a spoon like it was about to reveal the secrets of the universe.

“I have one of these!” he called, holding it up for her to see. 

“It’s called a _spoon,_ and you’re supposed to use it for eating, not staring into like a mirror.”

He twirled it around, scrunching up his face. “Well that’s stupid. My way is way cooler.” He stuck his arm out and held it like a sword, waving it around in front of her face. “You can use it as a weapon too, so it’s multipurpose!” 

She couldn’t help but snicker at the prospect of Ed using a spoon as a weapon. “I’ll be sure to tell that to whoever invented spoons. I’m sure they’ll change its purpose just for you.”

“Good! They should!” 

She plucked the spoon from his hand and replaced it with the pile of clothes she held. “Instead of playing with silverware, how about getting dressed?” She pointed to the tag on the back of the pants. “This goes in the back, by the way.”

“I think I can figure out some _clothes.”_ He stood, heavily leaning on the table. “You want me to go somewhere else?”

“Yes, please. The bathroom is fine.” She pointed to the nearest room down the hall and he nodded, walking to it with his shoulder pressed against the wall.

As she watched him leave, Winry hoped his brother was somewhat more manageable than the dork she’d been tasked with taking care of. With her luck, she doubted it.

Despite it all, though, as she stared at Ed’s retreating back, Winry couldn’t help but feel grateful for the curveball that’d been thrown at her life. 

* * *

It had only been an hour since he left home, and already Ed had never regretted a decision less. Sure, the human world was weird as hell, and the “clothes” he was wearing felt scratchy and confining, but everything was _amazing._

If he thought his collection of human items was impressive, it was nothing compared to the things he could find in Winry’s house. Beyond that, he was already beginning to gain his balance, and could even walk short distances on his own. Everything felt lighter on the surface, and he had to keep reminding himself that he didn’t have to move as harshly to get around. Standing upright was disorienting to say the least, but the thrill of it all was enough to keep him from getting frustrated.

Winry, on the other hand, was a completely different beast to tame. She was downright _confusing._ One second she’d be sweet and helpful, and the next she’d be yelling at him to not break her belongings. It wasn’t his fault her stuff was so fragile.

After much convincing to stay put, Ed was now waiting at the dining table in anticipation for Winry to finish cooking. Whatever it was, it smelled mouth-watering.

“What kind of things do you normally eat?” Winry asked, turning away from what she called a “stove.” 

“Whatever you’d expect; there’s not much to choose from. Fish, oysters, seaweed, you name it.”

“Huh. I’ll have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of seafood.”

Ed scoffed. “That makes two of us. The food mom used to prepare was amazing, though, but I haven’t had anything as good since then. Even the highest quality chefs can’t prepare food as well as she could.”

“Highest quality chefs? Are you some type of big-shot, then?” she asked, voice laced with amusement.

Shit, he hadn’t meant to slip up like that. The last thing he wanted was for Winry to find out about his status, lest she treat him differently. If she knew he’d left a week before his coronation, would she try and convince him to go back? 

“Uh… no, I’ve just encountered a few, is all. Some merfolk are better at catching and preparing food than others.”

She hummed, returning to the round metal thing she was holding over the stove. “I can’t promise this meal will compare to that, but it’ll certainly be something new for you.”

Winry finished whatever she was preparing and set it in front of him, with a cup of white liquid sitting beside it. The plate was full with a stack of round brown food, with a sticky substance poured over top.

“It’s called pancakes, they’re a common breakfast food.”

He reached towards it to tear off a piece when she grabbed his wrist, pushing a three-pronged metal... _thing_ into his hand.

“A fork. Use it.”

He didn’t understand why he needed to use a pointy thing to rip apart his food when his hand was perfectly efficient, but he wasn’t about to risk Winry’s fury over it. He held the “fork” in his fist and used it to rip off a piece, unceremoniously dropping it into his mouth.

The taste was _incredible._ It was light and fluffy and sweet, with no fishy taste whatsoever. If all human food was like this, he vowed to never go near another fish again.

“What’s this white stuff?” he asked between bites, gesturing to the cup of opaque liquid.

“Milk. It’s filled with calcium, so if you want to get taller, it might help.” He decided not to question why she was encouraging him to get taller, because he was _not_ short, but he went along with it anyways.

He’d heard of milk, but he couldn’t recall ever trying the stuff. With one sip, he knew why.

Ed promptly spat it out, sticking his tongue out for good measure. “Gross!”

“What’s gross about milk?! It’s good for you!” 

“I don’t care. It’s _nasty.”_

She rolled her eyes and wiped up the mess, leaning over to get in front of his plate. Ed held his breath as she passed right over him, inches from his face.

Winry looked up from her rag and met his eyes, her face quickly turning as pink as Ed’s felt. They looked at one another for an uncomfortable second, and she jumped back as if she’d been burned. 

“Finish your food before it gets cold. And don’t spit it out again!” she stammered, lemon-blonde hair whipping behind her as she turned away from him. Before he could get a word out she stomped back into the kitchen, leaving him alone at the table.

Ed couldn’t decide if he was supposed to be annoyed or not, but he was sure of one thing. The fluttery feeling that rose from his stomach to his chest was _not_ normal, and Winry—with all of her strange quirks and behaviors—was the cause.

He turned back to his food, shoving another bite into his mouth. Humans were _weird,_ he decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one was a bit rushed, so apologies if the quality isn't up to par. the story is starting to pick up, though! human!ed is very fun to mess with, and I'm excited to play with more scenarios. 
> 
> thanks for reading!! <3


	4. Orange

For anyone ordinary, shopping was a simple and easy task. Winry had expected nothing less when she had proposed they go into town to buy clothes.

Ed, however, was anything but ordinary.

Winry should’ve foreseen as much, considering the day’s previous events, but Ed somehow always seemed to throw new surprises at her. 

As it was, they hadn’t even reached their destination, exhaustion looming over them like a dark storm cloud. Winry was no stranger to heat, but something about pulling an overexcited former-merman around had made the sun’s rays feel like daggers. Ed had improved in walking since he had first started, but he’d become reliant on grasping onto her arm with an iron grip. Better than falling over every few seconds, she supposed.

Somewhere along the line, Ed had begun to talk to her about _chemistry_ of all things, asking what elements various things were composed of—as if she had any clue. It had become clear to her how seriously smart he was, going on about things she hadn’t even heard of in intricate detail. It was amusing, no doubt, but it hadn’t even reached noon and Winry felt due for a day’s worth of sleep. 

On top of it all, his brother hadn’t even _arrived_ yet. 

“You know, if you continue to chat my ear off about chemistry, I might just have to follow suit with mechanics.” 

Ed frowned, a look of distaste crossing his features. “What’s wrong with chemistry? It’s _cool._ Not boring like your weird mechanical things.”

“You’re not still mad that I yelled at you for touching one, are you?”

Ed huffed, blowing a piece of hair out of his face. “Whatever.”

That was a yes, then. For someone so prideful, Ed was surprisingly easy to rile-up. Not that she hadn’t expected the fact—the first thing he’d done was yell at her, after all.

The path into town was long and winding, but Winry could just barely make out the small shops that made up Resembool’s quaint market. It was never truly crowded—nothing like the cities—but full enough that they’d elicit some stares if Ed decided to do something strange. 

Another glance at him, and Winry realized he didn’t quite look the part of a local. 

“Hold on a sec, you need to get that hair out of your face.” She stopped walking, pulling him over to sit on a ledge lining the path. 

They were due for a break anyways, even if Ed was too stubborn to admit it.

He lifted a lock of hair and dropped it, letting it flop down around his shoulder. “It’s never been dry like this before. Feels weird,” he muttered.

“I’m just surprised it isn’t tangled beyond recognition.” She ran her fingers through it, shocked at the lack of resistance.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” His voice had substantially increased in volume, and Winry retaliated with a light slap to his shoulder.

“Oh calm down! It’s just normal for wet hair to get tangly, is all.”

“Huh. Guess merfolk just have cooler hair, then,” he smirked.

“Whatever you say.” Winry rolled her eyes and gripped him by the shoulders, turning him so she could see the back of his head. “Stay still while I do this.” 

“Do what?” He attempted to turn back around, but Winry held him firmly in place.

Instead of answering, she began plaiting his hair, deftly moving her fingers through it with ease. He remained silent as she braided, weaving golden strands from his temples down to the back of his head. The style suited him, and Winry couldn’t help her smile as she tied off the completed product with a spare band.

“What’d you do?” he asked, feeling around his head.

“A fishtail braid, of course!” 

He scoffed and shook his head, lips curling up despite his feigned annoyance. “Ha ha. Very funny.”

“Oh shut it. I can tell you like it.” 

Ed frowned, a pink hue coloring his cheeks. “Fine. It’s… nice. Happy?”

Winry flashed an enormous grin, nodding once in affirmation. “Yep!”

He groaned, and she wasted no time in pulling him up to continue the journey into town. It took a moment for him to regain control of his unsteady feet, but before long they were moving at the same pace they had beforehand. 

“Is it normal to get _damp_ like this?” Ed asked, letting go of her arm to wipe at his forehead.

Winry couldn’t help but chuckle. For his prodigious levels of intelligence, he still knew next to nothing about being a human. 

“Yep, it’s called sweat. It’s hot here, so you’ll have to get used to it.”

“It feels _gross,_ ” he grumbled, wrapping his arm around hers once more.

It hadn’t taken long for them to reach the town’s entrance, but once they had, Ed’s excitement had skyrocketed. One look at his face was all it took for her to know that he would not want to leave easily.

“Woah,” he breathed from beside her, his mouth hanging open in a way that was hardly flattering. Adorable, yes, but embarrassing nonetheless.

For as small and ordinary as it had become for Winry, the market town was surely a marvel to look at for Ed. The smell of baked goods wafted through the air, no doubt from the bakery Mr. Wilson ran with his wife. The shops displayed their products proudly on the street corners; a dazzling assortment of colors and fabrics. Fresh fruit and vegetables were displayed on carts in neat rows, alongside the fishermen’s daily catches. For a beachside town, Resembool was the perfect blend of a fishing village with a rural one. 

“First thing’s first, we should find you some clothes. I’d rather you have your own things to wear instead of relying on me for them.” Winry pulled Ed ahead from where he’d been standing in place, and he quickly stumbled forward to match her pace.

“I can pick whatever I want, right?”

His tone was concerning, and Winry quickly narrowed her eyes in his direction. “As long as it’s nothing too expensive, sure.”

She directed him to the nearest clothing shop—known for its reliable quality and large selection—and let him have free rein to look around as he pleased. 

Within five minutes, Winry’s forehead had become very well acquainted with the palm of her hand. For someone with zero experience with clothes, she had expected his style to be questionable... but _this?_

This was downright horrendous. 

The clothes Ed had picked out were almost comically tacky in their design, having been pushed to the back of their racks from lack of interest. It was impressive, really, how he had missed the mark by such an inconceivable amount. 

“Are you sure you don’t want something a little more… comfortable?” she said for lack of better phrasing.

He held up the leather black pants he had found, twisting them in his grip. “No way! These look way cooler than all those boring ones.”

“And the bright red coat? It’s a little… noticeable.” 

“I think you mean _awesome,”_ Ed retorted. “I bet you’re just jealous I’ll look way more badass than you.”

Badass? That’s what he was going with now?

 _“No,_ I just like to wear clothes that are functional! What do you expect to be doing in a gaudy getup like that, anyways?”

Ed huffed and swung his head to the side, braid swinging behind him like a metronome. “Even back home they call my style gaudy, so I guess nobody anywhere has any taste!” 

She was about to respond when what he had said sunk in, leaving her more curious than irritated. “Wait, what did you wear if not clothes?”

He froze, biting his lip. “We still have…uh...what’s it called?” he gestured around his body with his arm, and she took a wild guess at what he was referring to. He wasn’t one for charades, that was for sure.

“Accessories?”

“Yeah, those!” 

She supposed it wasn’t too far fetched of an idea; she knew nothing about merpeople, after all. When it came to style, buying some tacky clothing was far preferable than ornate pieces of jewelry. Small mercies.

“Huh. Well, since we’re focusing on clothes right now, you can’t _only_ buy a few showy pieces like you would with accessories.” His face fell, and she quickly continued. “I’ll make a compromise. You can get what you want, but only if you let me pick you out some clothes as well.”

He seemed to ponder her words for a moment, before finally nodding in agreement. “Deal.”

Shopping became much smoother after their agreement, turning into a balancing act between her choices and his. If one thing was certain, it was that his wardrobe would be seriously eclectic. 

By the time they had finished purchasing clothes, the sun was high in the sky and more merciless than ever. For as worn out as Winry felt, Ed was still bouncing with energy, paper shopping bags hanging comically from his arm in surplus.

His dimples became even more prominent as he looked around the marketplace in awe, and Winry wasn’t sure whether the pounding of her heart was from the heat or the way he had looked at her. She smiled back, letting him pull her ahead into the bustling market ahead of them.

* * *

Ed could’t remember the last time he had felt so… _happy._ The feelings of guilt and pressure that he had grown accustomed to felt as if they had been washed away; the coil that had taken hold of his midsection loosening to allow him to finally feel _free._

The sensation of breathing air and the feeling of the ground beneath his feet ( _feet!)_ was almost overwhelming, filling him with such a strong sense of euphoria that he wondered how he’d lived his entire life without them.

The only thing missing was Al, but he’d be there soon enough to experience it alongside him. 

For now, at least, he had Winry. For as _annoying_ as she could sometimes be, her presence beside him made him feel like he was drifting in calm waters. Safe. She hardly even _knew_ him, and yet here she was helping him in a way he could hardly pay back. 

Well, he had saved her life, but that was beyond the point.

He had spent the day stumbling around the streets, looking at as many things as he possibly could. He was quickly becoming aware that the artifacts he had collected were hardly things normally found lying around, let alone being sold in a town. The metal objects he had found were a stark contrast to the wide range of colors and textures the market held, which were far less cold in comparison. 

Winry must’ve been frustrated by now with his questions, but everything was so goddamn amazing that he couldn’t help but take it all in in a frenzy, fearing he’d lose the chance to in the future.

As he stared ahead, a large building caught his eye, devoid of any products to sell. 

“What’s that?” he asked.

Winry followed his gaze. “Oh, it's the library! It has all different sorts of books on anything you can imagine.”

He'd spent his entire lifetime accumulating information by word of mouth and questionable sources, and now it was all available to him in one convenient location. It was like a dream, as if he wasn’t already living one. Without a second thought, he forced his legs to move forward with such force that Winry gasped in surprise from behind him, lurching as he pulled her ahead. 

“Come on!” 

Upon entering, he was greeted with a plethora of books, mismatched and dusty and arranged in a way that made him feel overwhelmed with choices. He'd seen a few human books before, but they'd always been too ruined and waterlogged to look at properly. Now, they were crisp and dry, the smell making him feel a comfort he hadn't known since his mother had passed.

It wasn’t until he grabbed one at random that he was met with a slight inconvenience. 

He didn’t know how to read.

“What’s wrong?” Winry asked. 

He sighed, pushing aside his embarrassment. If it meant learning sooner, he could handle a small blow to his ego. “Al and I only picked up on the human language from listening to it. We’ve never really… looked at it before.” 

“Oh.”

Whatever that tone of voice ensued, he didn’t like it. “I mean, we know what letters are, and what some words look like-” 

“I can teach you, if you want.” 

He stopped his stammering, meeting her eyes. “Really? Isn’t that a bit… more than you agreed to?”

She shrugged, plucking the book from his hands. “You could argue that nothing can truly equal the price of a life, so I don’t think teaching you to _read_ of all things is too much for me to handle.”

She was right, of course, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t feel guilty about it. When he had saved her, he’d been acting on pure instinct, not expecting anything in return. Did that sort of decision require an equivalent payback? Did he even deserve it? He’d always believed in giving back the same as what he received, but now the lines were starting to blur together in a way he hadn’t expected them to. 

“You really are amazing, you know that?” The words tumbled from his mouth before he had realized what he was saying, and it was clear Winry hadn’t been expecting it either.

“H-huh? What are you getting at?!” she sputtered, narrowing her eyes at him. She must’ve noticed the way his ears turned pink, because her expression quickly turned to one of smugness. “Finally recognizing my talents, huh?”

“Forget I said anything, you crazy machine freak,” he grumbled.

“Ha! No way am I forgetting that one now, _guppy.”_

He heard a strangled sound leave his throat, and Winry only smirked wider.

“What the hell?! That nickname doesn’t even _work_ anymore.”

“Sure it does, and besides, you’re the one who started it,” she said, an air of finality to her voice. 

Forget all his former thoughts of equivalency. Someday he _would_ get her back. She was too damn good at making him look like a fool, the same as Al was, and he would _not_ let himself stand for it.

She broke him out of his thoughts with a pull to his arm, and spun on her heel to lead him to a nearby table. Before he had a chance to protest, she began collecting armfuls of books, setting them in front of him in neat stacks. 

“We can rent some out later, but it can’t hurt to get started now,” she said.

With that, they got to work. He caught on to reading with ease, and soon Winry was speaking aloud the contents of books on any subject she could find. Biology, history, literature, you name it. Ed took in as much as he could, moving through words slowly until they began to click with the sounds he was used to hearing. It was progress, and that was more than he could’ve asked for.

He hardly noticed as the windows began to glow with an orange light, shadows dancing across the tables alongside the warm hue. Without warning, Winry snapped her book shut, putting her hands over his own until he noticed what she was doing.

_“What?!”_

“Calm down, you nerd. We’ve been here all day, and I’m beginning to think this is a little one sided.” 

Ed paused, glancing up to look at her. “What do you mean?”

“I _mean_ you have all this information to learn about our world, but I know next to nothing about yours. I didn’t even know merpeople existed until a couple days ago!”

He understood where she was coming from, but she was treading into dangerous waters if it meant she’d be asking personal questions. A little briefing couldn’t hurt though, he supposed.

“Fine. What do you want to know?”

She took a moment to think, chin resting on her palms. “What kind of place are you from? Is it just open waters… or some kind of community?”

Good, an easy one. “Al and I are from a place called Xerxes. There aren’t many merfolk to begin with, so Xerxes is considered to be one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms. There’s a few merfolk rumored to live alone in small groups, though, but that’s a much harder lifestyle to lead.”

She hummed and nodded, eyes alight with curiosity. “It must be pretty, then. I wish I could see it.” 

Ed wasn’t sure what to make of that. He’d lived there his entire life, growing up among royalty. It was all normal to him, but to a _human…_ it probably was as amazing as the surface was to him. His thoughts of the place had long ago shifted from fond to indifferent. With his mother, he remembered sparkling sceneries and a warmth that made everything look vibrant and wonderful. After her death, it all began to shift into a monotone blur, becoming cold and lifeless. Suddenly there were threats and fears, and he’d realized the only one he could trust was his own brother. After the accident, he wasn’t even sure if he could trust himself. 

He tried to think back to when things felt right, ignoring the memories that followed. “It is. It’s more… extravagant than the town here.” He gestured his hand around the dusty library. “Buildings shine like gold and curve around the reefs in different shapes, with the palace standing tall in the middle. There’s no closed off spaces like there are here. It’s... a little _too_ perfect, honestly.”

Winry gaped, leaning forward. “And you still would rather live here? In a place that’s completely foreign to you?”

“Absolutely,” he answered with no hesitation. 

“Must not be as perfect as it sounds, then.”

He shook his head, Winry seeming to understand his thoughts without needing to ask. She could read him as well as the books she was surrounded by, and there was no doubt her aura of kindness was genuine. 

She stood with a start and began to tidy up the mess they’d created across the table. “It’s getting late, and you said Al was coming tonight, right?”

“What happened to your questions? Got bored already?” he teased, earning an annoyed glare. 

“Oh, I have plenty more, so don’t think you’re getting off easy.”

Winry was apparently good at many things, and changing the tone of the room seemed to be one of them. The melancholy that had wrapped itself around his throat was quickly pulled away with no remorse, Winry keeping him in the present with an unwavering force.

“You act like I _want_ to entertain you,” he said. “I could leave right now if I wanted to.”

“Yeah, emphasis on the ‘wanted to.’ Empty threats mean nothing when you’re a bad liar.”

He scowled, picking up his belongings and heading to the door on his own. After a few steps, he unceremoniously tripped over a stray chair, falling flat on his face with bags sprawled around him. Not his finest moment.

Winry broke into laughter, earning a glare from the poor librarian who’d been forced to listen to them the entire day. 

Ed sat up, blowing his bangs away from his eyes with a frown. “Not. A. Word.”

She held out her hand to him, and after a rather underwhelming staring contest, he finally grabbed it. She dragged him out of the library in a heap, holding his hand as they walked down the emptying streets of the market town. 

The warm glow of the sunset made the rows of lights draped above them all the more beautiful, twinkling like stars. As he stopped to admire the view, he felt Winry gently squeeze his hand. Her eyes were trained on the sky, and as he gazed over at her, he realized with a startling sureness that _this_ was his home now. 

Pushing thoughts of Al’s future teasing away, Ed couldn’t help but smile as he squeezed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the content of this one makes up for the lateness! I had a lot of fun messing with Ed, and we finally get to see Al come in soon!! Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave such lovely comments! <3


	5. Indigo

Kimblee was on to them. No matter where Alphonse turned, a cold presence followed him; an ever-present shadow that made the sea feel like ice. Kimblee’s not-so-discreet stares had kept him on guard throughout the morning, so when he finally began to creep his way, Al could feel his tense muscles relax. Though he was far from anticipating the interaction, he’d welcome it if it meant the courtier would be off his back.

Luckily for him, he wasn't as prone to slipping up as his brother was.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness. I haven't seen Prince Edward yet, is he around?"

Kimblee was no more obvious with his intentions than he was with the king. His charming words meant nothing when accompanied by his monotonous, calculating tone. Al could see right through him, and he wasn't about to allow the merman to talk him into a corner.

"Ah, he actually left early for a scavenging trip today," Al said with nonchalance. "You know how he is."

Kimblee's mouth curled up into what could hardly be considered a smile, teeth sharp like a shark's. He didn't scare Al—not one bit—but that didn't mean he would lower his guard. 

"Surely he knows better than to stray near the shore, yes? I've seen him swim rather close these past few weeks, and I will say it's become worrisome." His gaze grew sharper, threatening to pierce through Al's metaphorical armor. "None of us want another accident, do we?"

"Of course. With all due respect, my brother knows better than to put himself at risk again." Al couldn't keep himself from firing back, lacing his words with venom but keeping his composure steady. "We know what we're doing. You should have trust in your future king."

Kimblee’s tail flicked once, its sharp edges cutting through the water like a blade. "Certainly. I meant nothing by it, Alphonse. Just… take care, will you? The palace staff will begin to worry if he doesn’t return soon.” He paused, leaning in. “They might attempt to take matters into their own hands.”

He gave a curt bow before swimming away, not a bubble in his wake. Al suppressed a shiver. How Ed had managed to go so long without blowing up at the courtier, he would never know.

As things were, Al was used to Ed antagonizing the guards and palace staff that demanded they keep an eye on the brothers. It was as frustrating as it was confining, and now that he was alone, Al felt their presence increase tenfold. They treated him as if he were made of porcelain, despite his many assurances that he could handle himself. Even with muscle weakness and joint pain he was a better swimmer than Ed, but one sickness too many and he'd lost all the respect he'd once had. 

Frankly, it drove him mad.

He may not have been as vocal about it as his brother, but Al was anxiously awaiting going to the surface just as much, if not more. For once he’d be free from anxious eyes and nearby attendees—treated just the same as everyone else. 

Despite it all, he was still just a kid. 

He wanted to run, to lie in a bed of foliage with sunlight warm on his face. He wanted to taste the human’s food, to listen to music, to make friends and have a place to truly call _home._ Above it all, he wanted to _feel._ He was tired of being imprisoned in his own palace, with nothing to look forward to but Ed’s continued additions to their collection. 

Al had his reasons for wanting to leave, and so did his brother. Even though Ed was able to leave the palace and explore, his situation was no better than Al’s own.

Though Ed didn’t have to worry about being coddled nonstop, Al couldn’t imagine the pressure he felt from being forced into a position he didn’t want. It may have been selfish of him, but Al didn’t want to lose his brother. He knew what being king meant, and he wasn’t naive enough to think things would remain the same after the coronation. Most likely, he’d hardly ever get to see Ed again, and that was a future he refused to believe. They stuck together, no matter what. 

If things went well on the surface, maybe Ed would finally stop blaming himself. Al had tried to get through to him, telling him that they’d _both_ wanted to pursue the ship, but Ed was as stubborn as always. Al wanted to show him that they’d be _okay,_ that Ed _hadn’t_ failed as a big brother like he seemed to believe.

For that to happen, Kimblee needed to stay away. 

Al could only hope that he would.

* * *

  
  


Ed may have overshot his newfound walking abilities. Sure, he’d gotten around _fine_ for the majority of the day, but now his legs felt like they were stuck with pins and needles and ached to high heaven. Not that he’d ever tell Winry that. 

The sand was a welcome relief, warm and familiar as he stretched out across it with his arm behind his head. Though the sun had long since sunk beneath the horizon, its warmth lingered into the night and settled around him like a blanket. 

Winry had spent the time barreling him with questions about himself and Xerxes, voice hitching with excitement with every mediocre response he could muster. He _knew_ he sucked at explaining things—Al had always told him so—but she didn’t seem to mind. 

There had been a comfortable silence after she’d seemingly ran out of immediate questions, and he was alerted back to her presence after she gave an overdramatic yawn.

“When’s your brother gonna show up? I still have a _ton_ of automail orders to catch up on.”

That must’ve been what she called those mechanical limbs she obsessed over. He filed the fact away for later, knowing she was bound to mention it again. “Oh come on, is one day off really going to hurt?”

“With the amount of custom products I have to make and appointments I have to take care of, even a day off can throw everything off schedule.”

Great, and now he felt like shit. He attempted to speak, but Winry seemed to anticipate what he was going to say before he had even gotten a sound out. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade today for anything.” She smiled. “I’m a top-tier mechanic, so a little extra work is nothing to me!” 

He rolled his eyes, ignoring the fact that she seemed to have enjoyed being with him. He’d unpack it later. “Whatever you say.”

“It’s true! And besides, you don’t seem like you get up to much if you can just casually hang out with some stranger!” 

“Hey! I’ll have you know I do _plenty_ of cool stuff. Much cooler than messing around with machines, anyways.” 

“What could possibly be cooler than automail?” she asked, genuine curiosity peeking through her teasing front. 

Once again, he’d talked himself into a hole. He shuffled in the sand, uncomfortably aware of the way it wove itself into his hair. “Oh, you know. _Mer-stuff,_ nothing you’d get.”

She frowned for a moment, face soon softening as she sighed. “Sorry, it’s not really my place to pry, is it? You’ve already told me a lot, more than I’ve said about myself.” 

The shift in tone threw him for a loop, and he quickly tried to adjust. He waved her off, shaking his head. The last thing he wanted was to make things uncomfortable. “It’s fine. It’s… boring for the most part, anyways.” That was hardly the half of it. Even _thinking_ of the constant meetings and events he’d been forced into attending made him want to bury his head under the sand. 

“I doubt anything in an undersea kingdom could be _boring,_ but I’ll take your word for it.” She paused, biting her lip. “If you have anything you want to ask me, go ahead. It’s only fair.”

He didn’t even know where to _start._ There was an entire world ahead of him that he’d only learned a portion about, and yet Winry herself seemed just as interesting. The life of a seemingly normal human was still fascinating to him, but there was a particular question that’d been tugging at his mind. 

“Alright, then. What’s up with all your swimming? You don’t have fins… so what’s the point?” 

“Believe it or not, humans actually swim for _enjoyment.”_ That statement in itself was enough to baffle him, but she had continued before he had a chance to interrupt. “But—I do it to improve myself. I’ve been afraid of the ocean since I was a little girl, so I thought learning to swim would help me conquer that fear.” 

Winry’s eyes had a far off look to them, and Ed suddenly felt like he was intruding on something far more personal than he had initially planned. 

Fuck it, they’d already both breached each other’s privacy—another question couldn’t hurt at this point. 

“Why are you afraid?”

Winry absentmindedly drew loops in the sand with her finger, not meeting his eyes. “My parents… they died in a shipwreck. It scared me—of course—but… I don’t want to lose anyone else to the sea. I thought that maybe if I learned how to swim, I could save someone from the same fate.” She paused, giving a small chuckle. “Funny how that person was almost me, huh?” 

“But it wasn’t,” he said softly. 

“Thanks to you.” She grinned. “Really, though. It’s not like I can single handedly stop ships from sinking or anything, but saving even one person’s life is enough. I’m only human, but I want to be able to help others in any way I can.” 

Her voice was firm with purpose, and he found himself fixated on her in awe. She truly was amazing in every way possible. 

Ed couldn’t help but think about his own motivations. Who was he to run from those who needed his guidance? Winry devoted her entire _life_ to helping others, yet he had fled his responsibilities for his own selfish desires. He’d do anything to be able to make Al happy, but what did that mean for Xerxes? What did it say about him? 

He’d never been any good at expressing his emotions, but Winry had revealed something so personal that he found himself stumbling over his words in an attempt to say the right thing.

“Winry, I-”

He’d hardly gotten two words in when Al’s head popped above the water in the distance, cropped blond hair dripping into his eyes. Ed almost sighed in relief. He’d have to thank his brother later for saving him from making a fool out of himself. Again.

Winry was on her feet in seconds, running into the shallow water to wave her arms around in excitement. A laugh forced itself from his throat as he sat up and wobbled over to her side, making sure not to let his feet touch the water. He was unsure at how much exposure would cause him to turn back, but he wasn’t about to take any chances. 

As soon as Al saw him, his mouth dropped open wide enough that his chin touched the water. Ed pushed all of his former musings aside in exchange for a wide smile. Enough with the self-deprecation shit, he’d deal with it later.

“I can’t believe it worked!” Al gasped, eyes wide in astonishment. 

Ed stuck out his leg and shook his foot. “Told you so!” He felt himself sway and quickly steadied himself by grabbing onto Winry’s shoulder. 

Apparently, Al found humor in his clumsiness—that asshole. After catching his breath from laughing, he swam closer, eyes trained on Winry.

“It’s nice to meet you! I’m Alphonse, but you can call me Al.” He paused and gestured towards Ed with a nod. “Thanks for watching over my brother, by the way. He must’ve been a real pain to deal with.”

_“Al!”_

Winry ignored him, smiling back at Al. “Pleased to meet you, Al. I’m Winry.” For a moment, her countenance morphed into one that Ed couldn’t quite figure out, ears tinted with the slightest of pink. “We had a lot of fun, actually. Your brother is… _interesting_ to say the least. He certainly kept me entertained.”

One minute into their interaction and Ed already knew the universe had it out for him. He could handle Al and Winry on their own, but _together?_ They were already speaking with one another as if they’d been friends for years, with Ed completely pushed aside like a child intruding on a conversation between adults.

He really needed to come up with some better insults. 

“That’s an understatement,” Al remarked. “But if he hasn’t managed to get into any fights yet, I’d say it’s been a success.”

Winry whipped her head around, gawking at him like she had the first time she’d seen him. _“You? Fighting?!”_

“The hell is that supposed to mean? You think I can’t handle myself in a fight?” 

She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been nothing but awkward and harmless since you came up here. The worst you’ve done is threaten a glass of milk.”

Al’s laughter was deafening, and Ed felt his face heat up as he tried to think of a defense. “Well at least I don’t sleep with a twisty-grabby thing under my pillow!”

Winry reeled back, eyes wide. “What were you doing in my room?!” 

“You said I could look around, so I looked around!” 

“That doesn’t mean you can just snoop through my things!” she shouted, face turning red. “And it’s called a _wrench,_ by the way.”

Al was laughing harder than Ed had ever seen him, wiping at his eyes as they began to water. Huh. He forgot that could happen.

“You… you guys are hilarious! No wonder you wanted to come up here, this is the most entertainment I’ve gotten in _weeks._ ”

“It’s not funny,” Ed said with no bite to his words. Al’s happiness was infectious, and the lighthearted energy in the air was enough to fill him with pure serotonin. “Let’s get you turned before it gets too late.”

Al nodded and maneuvered himself onto the shore, golden tail following him until it was completely out of the water. Winry had come prepared this time, having stopped at her home to grab a bundle of towels. 

The process was smoother than the first time, with Al easily drying and covering himself within seconds. Soon enough, scales began to shift to skin in a metamorphosis that should’ve been impossible. Al’s gaze was firmly affixed onto his developing appendages, hand unconsciously gripping Ed’s own. 

The legs that began to form were… thin. Much more than Ed’s had been, and a worried glance from Winry signified that she’d noticed it too. There was no way Al _didn’t_ , but he did a damn good job at hiding it. Light scars were scattered across them, their thin white lines stark against his newly formed skin. Ed attempted to swallow the lump that’d formed in his throat. 

This was supposed to be a _happy_ moment, not one that reminded him of his past mistake. 

He felt a squeeze on his shoulder—no doubt from Winry—and tried to even out his breaths. Al would be fine; he was nothing if not resilient. 

They were safe.

“Wow… this is amazing!” Al ran his hands over his legs, leaning forward to touch his toes. Not even a day had passed, and Ed was still as blown away as he had been when he’d gotten his own legs. Scars and size be damned, it was still incredible.

“Pretty awesome, huh?” he said. “Just wait until you see the town.” 

Al frowned. “I can’t believe you went without me!”

“To be fair”—Winry butted in—”your brother was in serious need of clothes. And don’t worry, I picked some up for you too!”

 _“Boring_ ones,” Ed added. Winry stuck her tongue out at him, while Al simply rolled his eyes. 

She stood, holding out her arm. “For _you,_ maybe. Now come on, it should be easier to climb the hill now with three of us.” 

They pulled Al up to his feet, his legs shaking so severely he could hardly seem to keep them beneath himself. Winry strained to hold him up, and Ed quickly wrapped one of Al’s arms behind his neck to help keep him standing. 

“You’ve got this, Al. It’ll get easier after a while.”

He nodded firmly, eyes trained on his legs. With Ed on one side and Winry on the other, almost all of his weight was being supported, making it easier for him to step forward. 

“Once we both get the hang of this, I’m totally challenging you to a race,” Al said, putting a foot in front of him. 

Ed grinned, watching as Al took his first steps. “You’re on!” 

Winry looked between the two, a small laugh escaping her lips. “As long as it’s not in my house.”

They moved slowly so Al could move at a comfortable pace, but Ed didn’t mind. Winry’s laughter from Ed’s own trek up the hill almost seemed justified, now that he was looking at Al. Although the world wasn’t as vibrant and colorful as it had been in the morning, its beauty remained untouched under the sky’s indigo veil. Al’s eyes were comically widened as he surveyed the world around him, and Ed couldn’t help but smile from the sheer elation of it all.

“Brother, look!” Al abruptly stopped, causing Ed and Winry to stumble to remain standing. 

“Geez Al, give a warning next-”—his voice trailed off as he followed Al’s gaze— “...time.” 

It was one of the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen, and he didn’t even know what it _was._

Glowing yellow lights flashed all around them, seemingly floating throughout the air. It was as if the stars had decided to descend from their perches in the sky. He turned to Winry for some sort of explanation, but she hardly seemed shocked by the lights in front of them.

“Fireflies,” she clarified, face illuminated by golden light.

“S’that some kind of weird bug?” Ed asked, earning a glare from Alphonse. 

“What he _means_ to say is, we haven’t seen many bugs before, especially ones like this.”

“Well, you got lucky then,” she said, rocking on her feet. “Fireflies have always been my favorite… they’re the best part about summer.”

Al grinned. “I can see why. They’re _amazing.”_

Ed nodded, running his eyes over the grassy hill to try and spot every individual burst of light. They danced in sync, silently following a tune with no notes. 

With nothing more to say about the strange bugs, they moved on, letting the lights guide them home.

* * *

Winry’s house was odd at night. It was quiet, if not a bit lonely. Shadows danced across the walls and stretched beyond his sight, making the whole place feel more eerie than it should’ve. He couldn’t imagine Winry spending her night alone in there, but he supposed she had the fireflies and her automail to keep her company. Crazy gearhead.

The room she’d given them was small but comfortable, with two soft beds that made gravity feel rewarding for once. It didn’t take a genius to see how exhausted Al had gotten, so Winry had quickly shooed them off to bed without any room for argument. 

Al loved the clothes she gave him, because _of course he did_ —his taste was as dull as ever. He’d quickly changed into a softer pair—presumably for sleeping—and was now lying beside him looking like he could sleep for days on end.

As he watched Al’s chest rise and fall, Ed couldn’t help but think about how much he’d grown up. Al had always carried himself in such a way that he constantly emitted an aura of joy and kindness, despite his own inner struggles. Now, though, Ed could easily see maturity and responsibility displayed among his softer characteristics. He’d always been the stronger brother, after all. 

Despite Al’s masterful facade, Ed didn’t miss the hints of worry that shied beneath the cracks of his mask. Above all other titles, big brother was the one Ed honored the most. 

“You okay?”

Al looked up from his bed, a stray ray of moonlight streaking across his face. “I’m _more_ than okay, why?”

“Oh, don’t lie to me. I can tell something is bothering you." Al suddenly wore the face of someone who’d been caught eating too many scallops. “What gives? We’ll figure this out, we _always_ do.”

Al sighed. “I know. Trust me, I’m more happy now than ever. It’s just… I don’t know how safe we really are, up here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Kimblee talked to me before I left. I’m almost positive he knows what we’re doing.” Al frowned, doing the face he did when he was too focused on something. “I just don’t want you to get hurt because of this. With the way I am now, we aren’t really in a good spot to protect ourselves.”

Guilt ran in the family, it seemed. Ed knew he had a tendency to blame himself for things, but when Al did it, it just felt _wrong._ It wasn’t like he could control his joint pain or his own stupid immune system. 

Frankly, Ed would drag himself back under the sea just to shut Kimblee up, if he had to. Whatever happened, he refused to let Al be a part of it. This was his decision and _his_ responsibility. 

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll be _fine._ Just focus on adapting, alright? If that bastard thinks he can mess with us, then he’ll have my fist to talk to. Besides, I’m pretty sure one look at Winry and her wrenchy-thing would be enough to scare him off.”

_“Brother!”_

A pillow rocketed towards him, slamming into his face before he had time to react. Things moved _way_ too fast above water. 

He picked it up with a scowl, throwing it back with more force than necessary. “I’m serious! No more worrying, okay?” 

Al caught it with ease, and Ed blamed it on the extra arm. “Right. No more worrying.” As quickly as it had initially formed, Al’s troubled expression contorted into a smug smirk. “Now how about you tell me about all the _fun_ things you did with Winry today?”

Ed groaned, falling back onto his bed with a thump. 

Al’s giggles flooded his ears, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for skipping a week! updates might be a bit more inconsistent while i settle back into college, so please bear with me! 
> 
> also, for funsies, here's some info about this story that may or may not be interesting
> 
> 1.) the story still takes place in amestris, but the south-east portion is ocean instead of desert (just... shift everything beyond amestris to another continent)  
> 2.) the setting of this rendition of "resembool" is based off of beaches in ireland, specifically achill island in county mayo (yes, i know fireflies would not exist in a place like this, but if mermaids exist i think a little bug environmental inconsistency won't hurt anyone lol)  
> 3.) as for what's going on with al, he has what would be our juvenile arthritis, but of course slightly different due to not having legs
> 
> lastly, you can find some awesome fanart for this story [here](https://silverfangirl15.tumblr.com/post/626763062152757248/i-was-hit-with-the-very-strong-urge-to-draw-this) and [here](https://vulccan.tumblr.com/post/627381255904935936/a-painting-of-al-from-wrongnotes-mermaid-au) !!! thank you for reading and for all the lovely feedback <3


	6. Pink

As soon as Al had arrived, Winry had felt the energy in the air shift into something more natural. She hadn’t noticed it before, but Ed’s guard had begun to chip away little by little ever since his brother had joined his side. 

It was like a piece of him had suddenly been snapped back into place, and with both brothers reunited, Winry wondered how they could ever function apart.

When they thought she couldn’t hear, they spoke to one another in a language composed of melodic tones and lyrical phrasing, speaking one after another like a well-oiled machine. It was entrancing, and more than once she’d needed to shake her head to bring herself back into the present. When not speaking, they communicated with simple looks, and Winry was completely mystified by the way they just seemed to _understand_ one another.

It had taken a much needed sleep for her to be hit with the reality that two very strange not-quite-people were now living in her house. She didn’t know _how_ she’d managed to get herself into a situation as bizarre as the one she was currently living, but now she had no clue as to how to move forward. She couldn’t entertain them forever — she had her business to tend to — but she couldn’t just leave them on the _street_.

At least, not as they were now.

From what she’d gathered, Al was more sensible than his brother, thinking things through before acting and speaking. He didn’t have the same brash forwardness or impulsive behaviors as Ed, but that wasn’t to say he was a saint, of course. The Elric brothers both seemed to have a knack for trouble, and if her intuition was to be trusted, the younger could be just as stubborn as the older, if not more so. 

She hadn’t missed the way Ed would unconsciously stand in front of his brother as if guarding him from invisible demons that refused to dissipate. She had no doubt he was fiercely protective, and something in his eyes told her he was far more than who she’d thought he was. With the way he redirected conversations whenever they got too personal, getting to know him would be an adventure in its own right.

The brothers were a puzzle, and she was determined to figure them out.

For now, at least, she had an arm to blueprint. She’d taken Ed’s measurements already, and now all she needed was to develop a lightweight and waterproof model. She was certain that after a bit of tinkering she’d be able to make a prototype in no time, and the challenge threatened to consume her until she produced a product she was proud of. Rockbells didn’t make shoddy work, and Winry was intent on making a piece better than any she’d created before. 

Ed was almost as excited as she was, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. It was clear from the way he’d gawk at her automail and talk with an excited lilt whenever she brought up his arm-to-be. 

It felt… _nice_ to help, and despite only just meeting the brothers, Winry’s own protective instincts had taken charge. She was the one responsible for their first impression of the world, and she’d do whatever she could to make them see all the goodness humanity was capable of. 

The task alone seemed daunting, so she instead focused on taking things step by step. It was Al’s first _real_ day on the surface, so naturally she’d needed to prepare an apple pie tasty enough to win him over. 

After a morning of discussing automail and giving walking lessons, the menial tasks of weaving dough and chopping apples were calming enough to make her mind drift away until she was running through motions without needing to think about them. She still hadn’t quite grasped the fact that merpeople were _real,_ but at least pies were something she was familiar with.

“Winry Rockbell.” She jumped into the air with a yelp as the voice pulled her from her reverie, and as she turned she was met with Ed’s unimpressed gaze. 

He lifted an eyebrow, continuing as if she _wasn’t_ holding a knife inches away from his own face. “We’re going swimming.”

_“What?”_

“You heard me. You taught Al and I how to walk, so it’s only fair that I help you swim.”

She set down the knife and brushed her hair from her face. “You do realize I can’t just grow a tail, right? At least with walking we all had legs.”

“I can still help!” His voice was somewhere between a shout and a whine. “Come on, I’m trying to be nice!”

Suddenly, the pieces began to come together. All her interactions with Ed had shown that he believed in giving back what he received, and he stuck to it as if it were a law. Maybe it was something merpeople lived by, but regardless, her gratitude and willingness to help without wanting anything in return must’ve been bothering him. Though he’d teased about her paying him back for saving her, his expression alone told her he hadn’t truly meant it. 

Beyond all of that, she really just wanted to see the way he swam again. The part of her that admired the complexities of automail was dying to see another glimpse of his golden tail up close.

“Okay then, as long as you don’t try and make me do any weird tricks.”

His face lit up, and he quickly morphed it into one of indifference. “As if you could do more than some basic moves with those legs of yours.”

She ignored his quip, instead moving to point out the obvious. “Doesn’t Al want to come?” 

Ed shifted his weight, hand braced on the countertop for added balance. “Nah, he’s still adjusting. Said he wanted to rest for a while after walking. It… takes a toll on his joints.”

Winry nodded in understanding. Even without her medical knowledge, one look at Al was enough for her to know he’d need to take longer to adapt. She didn’t want to push him, especially considering how achy and sore his new legs must be feeling.

“No problem, I’m sure he’ll love to wake up to a fresh apple pie!”

Ed scrunched up his face, leaning forward until his hair almost touched the dough. “Is that what this is? It looks… mushy.”

She pulled him back by the collar of his shirt, holding him up so he didn’t fall. “It needs to _bake_ first. We don’t just eat everything raw, you know.”

“Well duh, I knew that,” he said, avoiding her eyes.

“Uh huh. Last I checked you didn’t even know what an oven was.”

“It’s not like that thing could work underwater! And besides, I’d like to see _you_ try and prepare something without all that added help. The food up here is good for a reason.”

Winry suppressed a shudder at the thought. Cool tail aside, she could _not_ imagine living off of raw seafood.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather not. Now, instead of bickering about ovens, how about we head down to the beach?” she suggested.

“Race ya there!” Before Winry had the chance to yell after him, he was out the door, doing an awkward jog to keep his balance. 

She sprinted after him, easily catching up within seconds. She reveled in the way the leaves crunched beneath her feet; wind blowing kisses at her as she stuck her arms out to her sides. As she passed him she stuck out her tongue like a child, feeling more carefree than she had in weeks. 

Ed scowled, pushing forward until he began to resemble a runner rather than a baby deer. His messy self-done ponytail began to fall out of its band, but he hardly seemed to notice if his laughs were any indication. 

“Not so fast!” he shouted, returning to her side once more.

“Not bad, guppy. You’re really getting the hang of things.” 

She struggled to catch her breath between laughs as he turned crimson, tripping over his feet. He playfully shoved her—hardly enough to hurt but plenty effective in making her lose her balance. 

To make matters worse, they’d just reached the peak of the hill. 

Her cheek collided with grass and dirt before she had the chance to shout, Ed following behind her in a heap. They rolled with enough force to knock the wind right out of her, every collision with the ground feeling like a punch to the gut.

Her head spun as she landed, and she clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to recenter herself. 

When the churning in her stomach finally toned down, she looked up to see Ed perched directly above her, golden eyes staring into her own. He had dirt smeared across his cheek and twigs tangled in his hair, yet she was somehow completely transfixed by his gaze. They stayed like that for a moment, both too mesmerized to dare make a sound.

It was Ed who moved first, eyes snapping back to awareness as he scrambled off her with cheeks tinted pink. If she had a mirror, Winry was sure she’d be looking the same way.

“Shut up.” He glared at a leaf, as if challenging it to dare acknowledge what had occurred.

“I didn’t even say anything-”

“You were going to!” 

They froze, and as if on cue they both broke into a fit of laughter that only got louder as time passed. Nothing about it was very funny at all, but the combination of adrenaline and the sheer ridiculousness of it all somehow made the moment radiate hilarity.

It was so _easy_ to just let herself enjoy the little things when she was with him, and the more she thought about the weeks she’d been cooped up at home with automail, the more she realized how much she had _needed_ a distraction like this.

Sure, Ed was the embodiment of the fantasies she’d grown up with, appearing from the place she’d grown to fear, but somehow it was so easy to accept him and his brother into her life. Her responsibilities and grief had been holding her beneath the waves like an anchor, and she hadn’t even noticed until she began to drown.

Now, as she laughed besides someone she hardly knew, she felt more alive and free than she had in a very long time.

She wanted to hold on to that feeling. She wanted to remember it. And hell, if it meant dealing with something beyond her wildest dreams, then so be it.

Winry felt like she could finally _breathe,_ and she wondered if this was how Ed had felt after he’d left his home behind.

“You’re gonna be the death of me someday, I swear,” he grumbled, having finally calmed down from laughing.

She raised an eyebrow. “You say that like you weren’t the one who shoved me.”

“Whatever, small details don’t matter.” He pushed himself up, holding out a hand to her. “Now come on, it’s gonna be dark by the time we even _start_ swimming.”

She took his hand, and together they stumbled their way to the shore. 

* * *

Winry was good at many things, but she was a _shit_ swimmer.

Okay, maybe Ed was a bit biased, but it seemed impossible for someone to be so _awful_ at moving through water.

Her problem was simple, yet extremely difficult to correct. With every stroke she made, she worked against the water rather than with it, and it drove him mad.

It seemed like ages had passed since they’d begun, and he was only growing more frustrated. The more he thought about it, the more he realized this was a job better suited for Al. His patience came in much larger supply, and his fuse was much longer than Ed’d had ever been. (Though when he snapped, the effect would be ten times worse.)

Regardless, he had to admit it felt nice to be back to himself, if only for a short period of time. He’d turned back as soon as his legs had been fully submerged in water, the transformation feeling much less uncomfortable than it had the first time. The shift from dry skin to scales felt _amazing_ , and as much as he loved the surface, nothing felt as natural to him as the sea.

Clearly, Winry wasn’t the same way. He suspected part of it was due to her willingness rather than her skill, and if she never let herself truly trust the sea, she would never be able to improve.

Where he glided through the water with ease, Winry had to kick her feet and move her arms to push herself forward. He’d quickly given up on having her do it the way the merfolk did, because _apparently_ legs needed to move separately to produce any significant movement. Convenient for land, but annoying as hell in the water.

Winry was clearly agitated as well, trying again and again but never meeting her standards. For a human, he supposed she swam decent enough, but it still wouldn’t be able to help her if she wanted to fight against another storm.

She returned from another lap and steadied herself on a rock, breathing heavily. “No matter how many times you say to ‘move with the water,’ it’s not going to help! What does that even _mean?!”_

“It means exactly what I said! Stop fighting it and _listen!”_

“Like you’re one to talk!”

He racked his brain for a reply, but before he had the chance to speak, Winry had completely turned away from him.

Ed followed her line of sight to the shore, and nearly ducked under the water after realizing what— _who_ she was looking at.

Another human—one he’d never seen before—was watching them both with an expression somewhere between mild shock and amusement. Two shining legs of metal stuck out underneath her shorts, and he was almost sure they were Winry's work. Well, at least she wasn’t a stranger, then.

Winry spoke up, words tumbling out after shaky laughter. “Hey Paninya, what are you doing here? I thought your appointment wasn’t until tomorrow?”

The human— _Paninya_ — scoffed, a crooked grin overtaking her face. “I was in town and wanted to say hi, but I guess you’re already _occupied,_ huh?”

“That’s not-”

“No need to make excuses, Winry, you know I won’t judge ya.” Her eyes fell on him, and suddenly Ed felt like he’d rather be anywhere else at the moment. At least the water had concealed him, though he was still feeling much more exposed than he should’ve been.

“Haven’t seen you around these parts before. You come to get automail?”

Ed nodded, unsure of how he was supposed to interact with this new girl. He was silently hoping Winry would be able to steer her _away_ so he didn’t have to. For a prince, he’d never been very good at tact.

Though he’d been the one to approach Winry, and Paninya seemed to be a friend of hers, he still struggled with the thought of trusting humans. The fact that even _one_ had been so relaxed around him and Al was incredible considering his past experiences. Maybe he was just a little paranoid, but he always figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Who knew how others would respond to seeing him?

Not that he couldn’t kick their asses if need be, but still. 

Paninya tilted her head to the side. “Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking? Not much goes on around here, so it’s always fun to drill Winry’s patients for some excitement.”

He froze, turning to Winry in silent desperation. He didn’t know anything beyond Resembool, so he couldn’t even lie if he wanted to.

She spoke up before he even met her eyes, face smoothing out to the point where he couldn’t even see her panic anymore. “He’s from South City, and he’s on a competitive swimmer team. He’s _training_ me, nothing else.”

He had to admit, she was scary good at lying. Her story sounded real even to _him,_ so he nodded in agreement and let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“Ohhh, that makes sense.” Paninya rocked on her heels, hands clasped behind her back. “Mind if I watch? Can’t swim with these legs, but I always liked watching other people do it.”

Ed sucked in a breath and decided to take charge. He couldn’t let Winry do all the lying, after all.

“I don’t normally let people watch when I teach. It’s... distracting,” he said.

“Oh yeah? I teach track and field, and there’s always a big crowd watching. You must be an amazing teacher, if you’re so dedicated like that.”

Ed didn’t bother to stop himself from scoffing. “Sure am.”

He could almost _hear_ Winry rolling her eyes, but he refused to break eye contact with Paninya. For as carefree as she acted, he didn’t miss the way she absorbed information like a sponge. He was sure that if the opportunity were to arise, she would be a force to be reckoned with.

She walked closer to the shore, remaining steadfast in her gaze. “Makes sense, because I’ve never seen an instructor work _without clothes_ before.” She gestured to the pile of garments sitting in a messy bundle by the towels, and Winry let out a short squeak.

Whatever was being insinuated, Winry’s reaction was enough for him to know that he should be feeling _very_ embarrassed at the moment.

 _“Paninya!”_ she shrieked.

“See ya’ later, Win! Have fun with your new friend!”

With that, she ran before Winry could say anything else, metal legs moving in a flurry that hardly seemed possible.

Ed raised an eyebrow and looked over at Winry, who seemed two minutes away from bursting a blood vessel.

“Your friend is weird.”

She froze, voice scarily calm in a way that gave him shivers reminiscent of the times Kimblee spoke with him. “Edward Elric, I will _kill_ you.”

Okay, so maybe he’d been generous with his estimations.

“And lose your only teacher? C’mon Win, you know you don’t hate me _that_ much.”

“Are you sure about that?” She glared at him, but the effect was lost by the way her face was still colored with blush.

He began to swim around her in circles, gliding on his back with an arm behind his head. “You’ll have to catch me first!”

She lunged forward and he dove under the water, splashing the surface behind him for good measure. Winry followed close behind, rocketing forward at a speed she hadn’t reached all _day._

He slowed down in a way that wasn’t obvious, giving her enough leeway to catch up with him. Objectively, it was impossible for her to catch him if he swam at full speed, but he knew that if she even _thought_ she had a chance, she’d grow even more determined. It was how he had felt during the first race, and he knew Winry would push herself in the same way.

She came up for air and switched to a front crawl, demonstrating every motion he’d guided her through prior. Her motions were fluid and natural, and he was sure she hadn’t even realized the fact.

It wasn’t the most conventional method of testing, but when had he _ever_ been conventional?

When her breathing became more strained, he casually rolled backwards and rose to the surface, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Nice work, gearhead. You could’ve passed for a ‘professional swimmer’ there, if that’s what you wanna call it.”

She caught her breath, holding onto him for balance. _“What?_ I didn’t even come _close_ to catching you.”

“No, but I don’t think anyone could’ve,” he pointed out. “What you _did_ do was move with the water, which is exactly what I told you to do. Not so impossible now, is it?”

She had a dumbfounded look on her face, which slowly shifted into a small smile. “I really did it, didn’t I? I wasn’t even thinking about it, really.”

“And that’s exactly why it worked. You can’t let the water guide you if you’re thinking about how to conquer it.”

“Huh, I suppose you’re right.” She paused, eyes flickering down before rising to meet his own. “You’re not too bad of a teacher after all.”

“Oh, so you finally realize it?” He smirked, earning himself a smack on the arm.

“Learn how to take a compliment, you dummy. I’m being serious!” 

He winced. “Well, it wasn’t really my doing. You did it on your own, so you should be proud of yourself.”

“Still, I wouldn’t have been able to get there without you. It means a lot that you’re here, so… thank you.” 

She looked at him with such sincerity that his stomach suddenly exploded with tingles, keeping him locked in place. It felt like a rock had lodged itself into his throat, and he struggled to swallow it down.

“R-right… no problem,” he spluttered. “We… we should get back to Al now. He’s probably done now, a-and we don’t want your friend finding him, right? Right. Let’s go.”

He dove underwater before she had the chance to reply, squeezing his eyes shut and waiting for his heart to calm itself. The hell was his problem? He _never_ let his emotions get the best of him, but it wasn’t his fault Winry was just so… Winry.

He was used to always relying on his own abilities, hoping that at least he’d done enough to give Al the life he deserved. To hear that he’d actually had a positive influence on someone _else_ was just… strange.

Surprisingly, he didn’t mind the feeling.

He opened his eyes to Winry in front of him, bubbles escaping her mouth as she attempted to giggle. She placed her hand in his and pulled him ahead, swimming back to the shore.

He followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mutual pining is getting painful... but I promise things will escalate soon! (Also more Al next chapter, don't worry!)
> 
> With moving and schoolwork and stuff, posting every other week has made things easier on me, but I won't let space between updates get any longer than that!
> 
> Lastly, you can check out some amazing artwork for this story [here!](https://kalsies.tumblr.com/post/628172537863536641/wrongnote-is-writing-this-fun-edwin-fic)
> 
> Thank you for reading and the continued support! <3


	7. Grey

Al prided himself on his intuition. No matter the circumstance, he was often able to automatically read someone inside and out through his own observations. It was a crucial skill for someone in his position, and had saved him more times than he could count.

When it came to Ed and Winry, however, intuition was about as useful as fish out of water.

Needless to say, the two were so horribly obvious with their emotions that _anyone_ would be able to tell what they thought of the other, perception be damned.

It had been hilarious at first, but now he couldn’t stop himself from cringing with every interaction the two had. While he’d been getting acquainted with walking and eating all new delicious food, their conversations served as his entertainment. They shot insults at each other like arrows, yet turned completely red from one innocent touch.

It was almost unbearable to watch, and Al knew that if he didn’t do _something,_ they would be wound up into stammering messes for as long as physically possible. Knowing Ed’s stubborn nature, that could mean _forever._

It was amusing—no doubt—but Al would rather not spend his new time on the surface with his palm slapped against his forehead. 

When the two wandered into the house, sopping wet with eyes cast down, Al knew it was time for him to take some action. Discreetly, of course.

“Have fun?” 

Ed opened his mouth and closed it, smoothing his expression over into one of indifference. “If you’d call ‘two hours of trying not to drown myself from frustration’ fun, then yeah, I had a _blast.”_

“Good thing it’s impossible for you to drown.” Al redirected his attention to Winry. “I’ll take it he was an awful teacher?”

She shook her head with a soft hum. “Surprisingly, I learned more today than I have in months. Your brother has a weird way of teaching, but it was somehow effective.” 

That sounded like Ed, all right. He was a _genius,_ but he’d never been good at keeping his patience with others. Sometimes, though, his phrasing and methods worked far better than any type of patronizing or flowery language. If he wanted to, Ed could easily lead Xerxes in a heartbeat, and Al knew he'd be able to pull it off. 

“Whatever.” Ed shifted on his feet, gaze wandering over to Al. Slight concern tugged his features, no doubt caused by the way Al was holding himself up against the wall. “You feelin’ better?”

“Yep! I think I’m getting the hang of walking now, and I’m not as tired as I was before.”

Though his balance could use some serious improvement, the fact that he was standing and moving around was a testament to the fact. It was enough for now, and the outside world called to him stronger than ever before. One small nudge would be all he needed to completely immerse himself in everything it had to offer, and he could hardly stand to wait any longer.

“How about a trip into town, then?” Ed perked up, and Al had to keep himself from breaking into laughter on the spot because of how _excited_ he looked. 

He ignored the unsteadiness of his legs, and instead focused on the incredible feeling of the ground beneath his feet. “It’s about time.”

Winry walked past him into the kitchen, tying her hair up as she walked. “You two have fun!”

“You’re not coming?” Ed asked.

“Nope, that little swimming trip was already enough to throw me off schedule.” She frowned and lifted a strange dough-like shape off the counter. “Besides, I think it would be good for you two to do some exploring on your own. Even if it seems like it, I won’t always be around to help you.”

Winry was right, of course, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard to lose the only safety net they had on the surface. No matter how quiet Resembool was, everything was new and unfamiliar to them. Ed clearly thought the same, but he made no attempt to vocalize the fact. 

“We can handle ourselves! I’m practically an expert on human-ing by now, anyways,” Ed said.

“I don’t think that’s a word, brother.” Al steadied himself on the wall, standing up straighter as he looked Winry in the eye. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him.” 

_“I’m_ the one who’s supposed to be keeping an eye on _you!”_

Winry laughed and focused back on the blob she was messing with, her hands already coated in the sticky substance. “Just don’t get too distracted by everything, alright? You can take some money if you want, and there’s some spare crutches in the back if you want to use them, Al.”

“Crutches?” he asked, having never heard the word before.

“They help you walk easier, like extra legs.” 

Al nodded, and Ed left to find them before he had even said a word. For as oblivious as he was sometimes, Ed had a knack for always knowing what others needed. He hid his intentions with simple gestures and relaxed phrasing, but Al knew better than to be fooled by his front. His brother had always been a softie behind his harsh exterior, after all.

He stood there awkwardly as Ed searched for the “crutches,” staring at the gaps in the wooden flooring with intensity. He’d never spoken to Winry one-on-one before, and suddenly he felt as if he were intruding in a place he had no right to occupy. 

“Ed told me a lot about you, you know.” Winry’s voice was quiet, as is reserved just for him. It was calming.

“Really? What sort of things did he say?”

“Nothing too specific, but with the way he talked you’d think you two had been separated for months rather than a day. He thinks the world of you, that’s for sure.”

Al wasn’t surprised, but he couldn’t help but smile upon hearing the fact. “We’ve stuck together our whole lives, so we’re used to relying on one another.”

Winry made a sound of acknowledgment, and Al took the cue to continue.

“This opportunity… it couldn’t have come at a better time. Brother’s too proud to admit it, but you really did help more than you could ever know. I haven’t seen him look this happy since we were _kids."_

It wasn’t just Ed, either. Even in his short-lived time as a human, he already felt more exhilitared than he could ever remember.

“I’m glad.” She beamed, setting down her pan to face him. “Ed never really told me about your situation, or why this is so important for you both, but I’m honored to be able to help.”

Al almost continued, before realizing what Winry had insinuated. Ed was never one for sharing details, but had he really left out the most important ones?

“Hold on, he hasn’t told you _anything?”_ he asked, baffled at the possibility.

She cocked her head to the side. “Well… he told me _some_ things, like what type of place Xerxes is, and about merpeople in general.”

Honestly, Al was surprised he’d even said _that_ much. He supposed he should’ve felt grateful that Ed had even put his trust in someone else to begin with. If Ed was uncomfortable sharing more, he understood why. Even Al was wary against sharing details with strangers, but he felt Winry deserved to know the basics. If they all wanted to develop trust with one another, she needed to know _exactly_ what she was dealing with.

“But not _who_ we are, right?”

She frowned, furrowing her brow. “Is there more to it than just being merpeople? That alone was shocking enough.”

Ed was going to give him an earful about this, wasn’t he?

“Our father is the king,” he explained. “Ed and I are the last of the royal lineage.”

Winry’s mouth fell open, and in that moment Ed returned with a long stick under his arm. Al leaned back into the wall, waiting for the whirlwind that was sure to occur.

“You’re…” Winry breathed, wide eyes flickering between both brothers. Her expression shifted, and suddenly she broke into a fit of laughter so intense that she doubled over with her hands on her knees. “No _way!”_

“What the hell?! No way _what?!”_ Ed spoke up, looking between the two in a combination of confusion and suspicion.

“There’s no way that you’re a…” —she stopped to catch her breath— “...a _prince!”_

Ed whipped his head around—eyes flaring with anger—and if Al were anyone else he’d be fearing for his life.

“You _told_ her?!”

Al rolled his eyes. “It’s hardly a secret, brother. She deserves to know.”

Ed groaned loudly, and Winry made a noise of disbelief.

“You’re joking... right?”

Their silence spoke for itself, stiflingly long and increasingly uncomfortable. Winry’s head darted between them, and Al began to wonder if the situation was as unbelievable as she made it out to be.

Winry continued, eyes sharper as she composed herself. “It’s just… hard to believe is all. With the way you are, I never would have imagined—"

“We left for a reason,” Ed interrupted, “and we sure as hell aren’t going back.”

Al nodded. “We don’t exactly act like royalty… _especially_ brother” —Ed shot him a look— “and we’ve always been much more interested in the surface.”

“Us simple humans were interesting enough to make you want to leave a life of royalty?”

This was the moment he’d been waiting for. He eyed the door, and looked back to where Ed was standing— distracted by the crutch under his arm. If he escaped fast enough…

“I wouldn’t say simple,” he chuckled. “I still remember the first time Ed watched you swim… he wouldn’t shut up about you for _weeks._ We’ve always been interested in humans, but _this_ — _”_

Ed rocketed towards him faster than Al would’ve thought possible on two feet, dropping the crutch and slamming his hand over Al’s mouth. 

“We’re leaving now,” he all but growled, face alarmingly red.

Al saw Winry stifle her laughter out of the corner of his eye, and in a flurry of motion Ed threw the crutch into his hands and dragged him out the door by his ear.

He ignored the dull pain from Ed’s grip as he waved his farewell, a satisfied grin plastered across his face.

* * *

Al was an asshole.

Ed should’ve left him to start a new life with the sharks, after the way he’d been acting.

As if revealing their identities wasn’t enough, he just _had_ to string together the most embarrassing combination of words possible, making Ed look like some sort of freakish stalker. Things had been weird enough since the swimming lesson, and now he felt as if Al had ripped out his heart and put it on display for the whole world to see.

Al was an absolute shitface, yet Ed still couldn’t stay mad at him. With the way his eyes sparkled as he looked ahead at the town, Ed could almost forget the fury that’d been stewing inside him minutes prior.

“Awesome, isn’t it?”

Al’s gaze was trained ahead, his lips parted in a smile. “Are you kidding?! This is _incredible!”_

Ed was sure he mirrored his expression. Even though he’d already seen it, it was no less amazing the second time around. Somehow, standing side by side with Al made it feel all the more real.

They’d actually done it. After years of wishing and dreaming, they could finally be _human._

His little brother was standing and walking beside him, and all at once nothing else seemed to matter. The wind nipped at their necks and the sky was painted with the greys of an oncoming storm, yet he felt so _alive_ in the moment that even a hurricane wouldn’t be enough to discourage him.

Al took a tentative step forward, using his crutch for support. The thing had been a genius move on Winry’s part, but he shouldn't have expected less from someone who made prosthetics. She was attentive to every need, and Al undoubtedly appreciated her efforts.

Ed joined him, straying to the side of the walkway to avoid coming into contact with any passing humans. Without Winry to guide him, he felt more exposed than he ever had, and he internally struggled to piece together his memories of the place.

He knew the library would be enough for them to handle, at least. He'd picked up enough from Winry to get the hang of reading, and Al would surely appreciate the knowledge just as much as he had.

“I've been thinking,” Al spoke up, shifting to look at Ed.

“That’s new.” Ed tried not to wince as Al’s crutch crushed his toes. Okay, he might've deserved that one. “Fine, what’s up?”

“Well, we both want to see the world and learn all there is to know about it, right?”

“Yeah, that's the plan.”

“Uh huh. Well, to travel, I’m pretty sure we'd need currency to get around. Now matter how generous Winry is, we can't just mooch off of her forever.”

Ed raised an eyebrow. “I like breaking rules as much as the next guy, but I dunno if stealing money a couple days after getting here is the way to go.”

“I don't mean _that!”_ Al exclaimed. “I _mean_ I want to work!”

“How do you expect to do that? No offense, but I don’t think either of us would do a very good job blending in.”

Al sighed. “I know, but that’s the best way to learn, isn’t it? You should think about it too, if you wanna pay Winry back for that arm. I’m sure she’d love some help around the shop.”

As usual, Al was right. Just from the quality of the metal, Ed could tell how expensive automail was, and asking for it for free was hardly fair considering the craftsmanship necessary to build it.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll think about it.” He waved his hand absentmindedly, continuing to observe the buildings around him. “You planning on doing something different?”

“I’m thinking of working in town, actually,” Al said. “I want to learn something new without needing to bother Winry about it.”

Ed nodded. It only made sense that Al would want to expand his expertise as soon as possible. When Ed was away scavenging or exploring, he’d always return to see Al mastering a new skill. He was scarily good at picking up hobbies, and Ed wouldn’t be surprised if he’d managed to learn every duty around the palace in his free time.

“Let’s hope the townsfolk are patient then,” he chuckled. 

After a few more steps, Al threw his arm out in front of him, stopping Ed in his tracks. He opened his mouth to protest before noticing where Al was pointing, and promptly clamped his lips shut.

There, huddled into a small ball in a shadowed alleyway, was a small clump of grey fur that Ed was almost certain was called a “cat.” Al had seen one _once,_ and since that day he’d never stopped talking about the creatures.

Ed didn’t understand why a strange looking hairball was so special, but he didn’t dare vocalize his opinions when Al was standing right next to him, gaping like a tuna.

Ed watched as he knelt down and held out a hand, tentatively waiting for the cat to approach. It lifted its head, copper eyes piercing straight through him. It stood with grace, sulking towards them as if they were hardly worth its time. Four limbs moved in a tandem, and Ed had to remind himself to let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

It seemed too smart for its own good, but that didn’t stop Al from reaching out to set his hand on its head, stroking it as if he’d _practiced_ or something. It leaned into his touch, making a thrumming noise that almost sounded… cute.

“It’s so _soft.”_ Al gawked, scratching behind its ears. “Come on, pet it!”

“Fine, but if it bites me, I’m telling Winry it’s your fault.” He crouched next to Al, bringing forward his hand slowly enough to not startle the cat. It’s gaze was affixed on him as if challenging him to make a move, and when skin met fur, Ed almost reeled back at the sensation.

Nothing under the sea felt even remotely similar, and Ed found himself smiling as he ran his fingers through the soft fur. It continued to thrum, curling itself around him with a soft “mew.”

He sort of liked the thing.

“We should name it,” Al proposed.

Why Al even bothered saying “we,” he didn’t know. If Ed was awful at anything, it was coming up with names. He decided to abandon all thought, grasping onto the first word that came to mind.

“How about Fish?”

Al turned, face comically stoic. “Fish? You know it’s called a cat, right?”

“Duh, but it reminds me of a fish. It’s got the big creepy eyes and everything.”

Al shook his head, amusement creeping over his features. “You’re terrible, absolutely terrible.” He paused, leaning back as if to get a better look at the thing. “It’s sort of cute, in some weird nonsensical way. Like a piece of home, huh?”

“See, I’m a genius and you know it!”

“I said nothing of the sort.” Al carefully stood, the cat making a soft sound as he removed his hand. “We can’t just leave it here… it could get hurt.”

A quick dismissal died in his throat, crawling back to the pool of negativity inside him that he’d worked to suppress. It was hardly worth the effort to argue, because in all honesty, he’d expected a remark of the like ever since Al had first noticed the little creature. Who was he to deny his little brother a small shred of happiness?

Regardless, he still attempted to plead his case in the slim chance that Al would realize what he was committing to.

“How exactly do you expect us to take care of a cat? And besides, what if it belongs to someone?”

“If we find out someone’s missing a cat, then we’ll just give it back. It’s as simple as that!” Al affirmed, scooping “Fish” into his arms with ease.

As it turned out, Ed was incredibly bad at saying no to his brother. They’d returned to strolling through town just as they had before, save for the cat that had somehow found its way snuggled over his shoulder.

He really hadn’t intended to hold it, but the crutch had gotten in Al’s way, and he wasn’t _that_ heartless.

Ed had gotten softer than he would’ve liked to admit over the past few days, that was for sure.

Children cooed at the creature as they passed, the attention threatening to taint his otherwise perfect mood. Al was personable as always, greeting everyone he saw with a smile and a wave as Ed sulked besides him— the fluffy animal ruining any semblance of intimidation he dared to show.

Disregarding the gained stares, Ed couldn’t help but take in his surroundings just as greedily as Al did. It had been overwhelming as hell when he’d been with Winry, but the second time around he had a chance to stop and just observe.

Despite it all, humankind remained _fascinating._

As if the universe knew exactly how to fuck with him, not even five minutes had passed before someone crashed face first into him, flinging him and the cat to the ground. The little bastard landed on his face, its claws digging into his cheeks.

“What the hell is your-” He looked up, a familiar face making him pause in his insult. It was the girl from earlier, _Paninya,_ and she had just spilled an entire bag’s worth of brightly wrapped bundles.

“...shouldn’t be running around here… so stupid....” she mumbled under her breath as she picked up the bag’s contents, not even sparing him a glance.

Al stepped forward, helping her pick up the items with his spare hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yep, I’m fine!” She looked up, and her eyes grew wide as they wandered over to Ed. “You’re that guy Winry was with!”

He felt his face heat up as Al quizzingly tilted his head.

“You didn’t mention meeting someone, Ed,” he said, voice rising in pitch. Ed didn’t like his tone one bit.

He looked away, feigning ignorance. “It’s not important.”

“Your name’s Ed, huh? Nice to meet you for real this time.” Paninya said. “Did the ‘swimming lessons’ go well?”

Al snickered into his hand, and Ed quickly moved to change the subject. “As well as swimming lessons go, I guess. Never mind that, though. What’s all this shit you dropped?” 

She raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. “What’s with the cat?”

Al’s faint chuckles grew louder, and suddenly Ed was glad Winry hadn’t installed his automail yet. If he had it, he’d no doubt be making threats with the steel appendage.

Abandoning violence, he instead kept his face passive. Next time, maybe. “Found it in an alley. Now will you answer the question?”

“I’m helping the bakery prepare for the festival in a couple days, and they’re making an excess amount of sweets for it. It’s a pain to deal with, but at least they’re tasty!” Paninya said, her lips rising into a grin.

“Festival?” Ed prodded, standing and regaining his hold on the cat.

She finished putting away the small bundles and scratched her head. “Oh, I forgot you’re not from here. Resembool always holds a Summer Solstice festival, and most of the town’s businesses contribute to it. While I’m here, I always help the Wilsons with their bakery since they’re so understaffed.”

Ed didn’t even need to look over to see Al’s reaction to the comment. Just moments ago he’d been talking about work, and now an opportunity was seemingly falling right into his hands. The fact that it involved food was only an added bonus.

“Lucky for you, my brother Alphonse is looking for a job.”

She shifted her gaze to Al as if seeing him for the first time. “Seriously? Shop’s closed by now, but come by tomorrow and I’m sure they’ll have you start work straight away.”

“Thank you so much!” Al said, his enthusiasm not going unnoticed.

“It’s nothing.” Paninya waved a hand in dismissal. “I’ve really gotta get going, but I’m sure I’ll see more of you soon.” She winked and ran off, and Ed wondered if that was the only way she knew how to end interactions.

They began their stroll once more, the sun having disappeared long ago. There was a tranquility to the marketplace at nighttime, sweeping over the buildings and passerbys like a calm wave. It was the same feeling Ed got when he swam around the reefs under the moonlight, and it wasn’t one he felt often. Being so used to feeling stressed or energized, it was nice to relax every now and then.

“She seemed nice,” Al said from beside him.

Ed frowned. “To you, maybe. I swear she’s up to no good.” Just from her little stunt earlier he knew she was already keeping tabs on him, and he feared to know what she’d do if he ever got on her bad side. Not that he couldn’t handle it, but still.

“Like you’re any better?” Al accused.

“At least I don’t tease strangers about their personal lives!”

Al sighed, a long drawn-out motion he typically saved for when he was frustrated. Needless to say, Ed had become very used to it.

“No, but I don’t think it would hurt for you to be a bit more honest. Seriously brother, how did you go this long without telling Winry about us? She won’t trust you if you don’t open up.”

“I was making a comment on _Paninya,_ not asking for a complete rehash on my personality.” Ed huffed, loud enough to cause Fish to startle on his shoulder. “And I _did_ tell her stuff!”

“You know what I mean. Promise me you’ll talk to her at some point? She deserves more explanation than whatever she got earlier.”

Ed wanted to protest, he _really_ did, but he knew the best way to move forward would be by being honest. Winry had told him so much already, so it was only fair that he repay her in the same way.

If honesty kept her from pushing him away, then he’d tell his entire life story on the spot. She was all he had on the surface, and he wasn’t about to lose her because of his own dumbassery. He _couldn’t_ lose her.

“Fine, but you’re explaining the cat.”

Al’s face lit up; brighter than the stars. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again im so sorry for the delay! college is sort of crazy and i lost motivation for awhile trying to get this chapter out, but i think it'll be much easier for the future ones because of what they'll entail.... hehe. enjoy some fun sibling times until then!! 
> 
> (also, fish is named after my friend's kitten named fish, which is an amazing name)
> 
> thank you so much for reading and the feedback!! <3


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